Zhaoyuan in E China's Shandong builds complete gold industry chain

Zhaoyuan, a county-level city administered by Yantai, east China's Shandong Province, is a major gold production area in China. The city has built a complete industry chain that encompasses gold exploration and mining, smelting and processing, as well as design, retail, and cultural tourism experiences.

Staff members operate gold mold carving machines at the gold processing workshop of Shandong Zhaojin Jewelry Co., Ltd. in Zhaoyuan, a county-level city administered by Yantai, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo/Shi Yan)

Stepping into the gold processing workshop of Shandong Zhaojin Jewelry Co., Ltd., traditional craftsmanship meets modern manufacturing. Skilled craftsmen carve gold jewelry by hand, while nearby, advanced machinery complete precise tasks.

"We blend Dunhuang mural art with modern craftsmanship in a jewelry series, which is popular among young people," said Jian Bing, brand director of Shandong Zhaojin Jewelry Co., Ltd. By merging traditional culture with modern aesthetics, the design team has launched a range of products that have become best-sellers.

Photo shows the process of refining and purifying gold. (Photo/Shi Yan)

Zhaoyuan is a hub for jewelry companies and excels in industrial gold applications. Here, one gram of gold can be stretched into a bond wire which is over 300 meters long and one-sixth the thickness of a strand of hair. Precious metal materials have surpassed 16 billion yuan (about $2.25 billion) in annual sales revenue, and are widely used in the semiconductor and other industries.

A cultural and commercial complex in Zhaoyuan, centered around the Song Dynasty (960-1279) culture and the gold culture, provides visitors with an immersive experience. (Photo/Song Yang)

During this year's National Day holiday in early October, a newly opened cultural and commercial complex in Zhaoyuan received an average of nearly 40,000 visits each day. The complex offers a unique blend of Song Dynasty (960-1279) culture and gold culture, allowing visitors to fully experience the charm of this cultural fusion.

Tourists enjoy the thrill of gold panning at a scenic area built on the site of an abandoned mine in Zhaoyuan, a county-level city administered by Yantai, east China's Shandong Province. (People's Daily Online/Qiao Shu)

By making the most of its gold resources and historical heritage, Zhaoyuan integrates industry and tourism to offer visitors an immersive gold mining experience. Shandong Zhaojin Group Co., Ltd. has transformed a mining area into an industrial tourism zone, establishing a gold industry tourism system that encompasses sightseeing, experiencing, and shopping.

Zhaoyuan now boasts a complete gold industry chain, with 32 enterprises above the designated size and over 50,000 employees involved in exploration, mining, refining, gold tourism and more.