In the 1980s, the Chinese Academy of Sciences organized 23 research institutes, including the Institute of Geochemistry, to solve problems related to gold production, thus increasing China’s gold reserves and reducing the shortage of foreign exchange reserves.

The project involved a total of more than 500 scientific researchers. They tackled a series of critical technological challenges, making China the sixth country to produce over 100 tons of gold annually.

This effort marked a new era for China’s gold production and technological development.