This is the new gold find in France, with “several dozen tons” buried

A region can become a real gold mine again in a few years, because the stock looks so big.

Are we headed for a new gold rush in France in 2024?! The race for the most precious metal has resumed in France. The site, which has “significant deposit potential”, will be used to try to extract kilos of golden nuggets in the coming years. The state has just given the green light. Objective: “To contribute greatly to the independence of supply of France and Europe in precious and strategic metals.”

While the Côtes d’Armor, the Gard and the Pyrenees are still the main known gold mining areas in France, a new one should see the light of day. This is located in the west of the country in the heart of Limousin. A search perimeter has been set, in the area between Limoges, Brive, Périgueux and Angoulême. It includes the municipalities of Chellard, Ladignac-le-Long (Haute-Vienne) and Jumilhac-le-Grand (Dordogne).

This site is not chosen at random. This is a former mining operation, called “Bornix”, which was closed in 2002 and which has always been the scene of gold prospecting for centuries. “Several dozen tons of gold” are still buried there today. The village of Chellard is also located on the edge of “one of the largest French gold districts with grades above the international average,” Thomas Poitrenaud, geologist and president of the Ardiens mines, points out here. Figaro In 2023. And this, when a kilo of gold sells for around €60,000.

At this 39km², gold will therefore be sought, but not that much. There is also hope of finding silver, tin, copper, zinc, lead or even nickel. But don’t think you can come out on your own with your hat and sieve. Extraction is supervised and reserved for the company Aurelius Resources, a subsidiary of the English company of the same name, which specializes in mining. Currently, the company will explore the soil for at least five years, a period that will determine whether an operation can be set up to extract the metals. The company is very optimistic about setting up the mine.

Some voices are trying to oppose the project, especially considering the risk of pollution that it could cause. In a letter, the Stop Mines 87 Association is concerned that “exploited sites are temporarily polluted”, recalling that “pollution is very little taken care of by operators.” It also warns of the “significant” amount of water required for such an operation. The site operator’s impact study identifies pollution but states the effects will only be “temporary”.