Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russian production has been dropping steadily, but 2000 saw continued increases in Russian production totalling 143 t of gold.
Most production is from placer deposits in the eastern parts of Russia, although foreign investment.
Has been targetting open cast heap leachable gold deposits. Uzbekistan Uzbekistan produced 86t in 2000, making it the 9th largest producer in the world and 2nd largest in the CIS after Russia. It has the world's fifth biggest proven geological gold reserves estimated at 5,300 tons. All of Uzbekistan's gold mining enterprises are state owned, except for the Zeravshan-Newmont joint venture with Newmont Mining of the USA, which is recovering gold from tailings at the giant Muruntau gold gold lode in the Kyzyl Kum Desert. Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Complex NMMC is Uzbekistan's largest mining and processing enterprise and has producing base metal and gold mines.