gold mine

American  

noun

1. a mine yielding gold.

2. a source of great wealth or profit, or any desirable thing.

3. a copious source or reserve of something required.

   a gold mine of information about antiques.

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gold mine British  

noun

1. a place where gold ore is mined

2. a source of great wealth, profit, etc

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gold mine Idioms  

1. A rich, plentiful source of wealth or some other desirable thing, as in That business proved to be a gold mine, or She's a gold mine of information about the industry. [First half of 1800s]

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Other Word Forms

• gold-miner noun
• gold-mining noun

Etymology

Origin of gold mine

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75

Example Sentences

Are the Dodgers baseball’s version of a gold mine?

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

The London-listed miner underperformed peers by approximately 50% as operational challenges at its Mara Rosa gold mine in Brazil weighed on shares, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Initially, the government said that would include the Martabe gold mine, which conservationists have regularly accused of environmental damage.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

Greenlandic officials quietly concede that, in the short term at least, anyone running this island is more likely to find themselves staring down a money pit rather than a gold mine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

I pretend to be captivated by something way off in the distance as I pass by Bob at the gold mine, careful not to make eye contact with him.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling