A region full of gold

As we climb higher, the driver stops and takes our documents to a police checkpoint.

He explains us that the area is rich in gold, and many Chinese companies operate here, extracting and processing the precious metal, which is why security checks are tighter. In some places, signs are written only in Chinese, reflecting the strong presence of Chinese workers in the region and the local mining industry.

He tells us that each truck carries tons of rock, and after processing, only about 50 grams of gold—worth over 3,000 dollars—can be extracted from each load.Read more