A large gold mine with an initially estimated gold reserve of 31.55 tonnes has been discovered in central China's Henan Province.

The mine is in Zhuzhuang Township in Tongbai County, according to the provincial bureau of geology and mineral exploration and development.

The estimated gold reserve at the mine is likely to exceed 50 tonnes by the end of this year after further exploration, it said.

For decades, Henan Province has remained China's second-largest gold-producing region.

In 2016, local geology and mineral exploration authorities discovered a large gold mine also in Tongbai County. With a gold reserve of about 105 tonnes, the mine has 80 years of development potential.