Mumbai, August 11: A viral post on social media claims that Uganda has discovered nearly 31 million metric tonnes of gold ore in the country. The gold ore is also claimed to contain over 3,20,000 tonnes of refined gold worth USD 12 trillion. It is further alleged that the discovery could turn Uganda into one of the world's top gold producers if the gold ore is tapped correctly. The post also claimed that the discovery of gold ore in the East African country can attract massive foreign investment and help reshape the global gold market.

It must be recalled that in June 2022, Uganda said that exploration surveys showed it has gold ore deposits of about 31 million tonnes, reports Reuters. Back then, the African country said it wanted to attract big investors to develop the sector hitherto dominated by small wildcat miners. Solomon Muyita, spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, said that an estimated 320,158 tonnes of refined gold could be extracted from the 31 million tonnes of ore. Has Pakistan Launched Trackless Electric Tram System? Fact Check Reveals Truth Behind Viral Video.

Notably, most of the gold ore deposits were found in Karamoja, while large reserves were also discovered in Uganda's eastern, central, and western areas. Three years after the Ugandan government's announcement, claims of 31 million tonnes of gold ore deposits being found in the country have resurfaced online once again, with many believing it to be true.

Know Why Uganda's Viral Claim About 2022 Discovery Is Misleading

However, the claim about the quantity of gold ore being discovered in Uganda in 2022 was found to be exaggerated and misleading. While the Ugandan government did announce that exploration results showed it has 31 million tonnes of gold ore, the calculations revealed an impossibly high gold concentration (over 10,000 g/t vs. typical 1-5 g/t). It is also reported that the claim of 31 million tonnes of gold ore is more than all the gold ever mined globally, thus making the numbers unrealistic.

It is also worth noting that Uganda's claim of 31 million tonnes of gold ore deposits discovered in the country was not verified. Since the announcement in 2022, no primary extraction has been confirmed to date. Several experts debunked Uganda's claim of gold ore deposits as implausible. They suggest that the claim of Uganda having gold ore deposits of about 31 million tonnes could be a reporting error, with the term "tonnes" being used instead of ounces. Many termed the claim to be an exaggeration to attract investors. Fact Check: Social Media Posts Claiming Pakistani Forces Captured Indian Soldiers and Released Them After ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ Chants Are Fake, Old Video Circulated With Misinformation.

Hence, the claim that nearly 31 million tonnes of gold ore were discovered in Uganda is misleading, as no significant developments have occurred since the announcement three years ago.

Fact check

Fact Check: Did Uganda Discover 31 Million Tonnes of Gold Ore? Why Viral Claim About 2022 Discovery Is Misleading
Claim :

Uganda discovered 31 million metric tonnes of gold ore, which contains over 3,20,000 tonnes of refined gold worth USD 12 trillion.

Conclusion :

While gold was found in Uganda, the claim about 31 million tonnes of gold ore deposits is misleading as there has been no major extraction confirmed till date.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2025 09:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).