Tian Shan—the title for the mountains that cross Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan—roughly interprets as “Mountains of Heaven”. It’s becoming for a spread that’s dotted with gold mines, together with Kumtor, one in every of Central Asia’s largest and a logo of Kyrgyz nationwide delight. Furthermore, it isn’t simply the mountains of Central Asia that maintain huge reserves. Lots of of kilometres to the west, in Uzbekistan’s Kyzylkum Desert, sits Muruntau, the world’s largest open-pit gold mine.
