LANCASTER COUNTY, SC — A new economic impact study finds that the Haile Gold Mine, the only operating gold mine east of the Mississippi River, generates $634 million in annual economic activity across the six county region that includes York and Lancaster counties, while supporting 1,413 jobs and $117.8 million in labor income.
The 2025 Economic and Social Impact Analysis, conducted by University of South Carolina research economist Joseph C. Von Nessen of the Darla Moore School of Business, was commissioned by mine operator OceanaGold and released this week. It is the third such study OceanaGold has commissioned, following analyses in 2012 and 2018.
Regional and Statewide Impact
Located near Kershaw in Lancaster County, the Haile Gold Mine has been in commercial production since October 2017. The study estimates the mine’s total annual economic impact at $717.5 million statewide, supporting 1,833 jobs and $141.8 million in labor income across South Carolina.
In Lancaster County alone, the mine accounts for $568.7 million in annual economic activity, supporting 1,177 jobs and $106.3 million in labor income. The six county region examined in the report includes Lancaster, Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw, and York counties. Roughly 75 percent of mine employees live within that region.
The study also estimates that the mine generates approximately $16.4 million in annual state tax revenue. With the current active production phase projected to extend through 2037, the cumulative statewide economic impact is projected to total more than $9.3 billion by that year.
Wages and Workforce
The average annual wage for Haile Gold Mine employees is approximately $86,485, a figure that exceeds the median household income in every county across the six county region, including York County at $80,158 and Lancaster County at $72,186. The mine maintains a direct workforce of approximately 731 full time equivalent employees, with roughly 84 percent living in South Carolina. Women hold approximately 27 percent of professional and senior professional positions at the operation.
According to OceanaGold, the company employs more than 800 people overall at the site and produced more than 212,000 ounces of gold in 2024.
Rural Economic Effects
The report frames the mine’s contribution against a regional backdrop in which several rural counties have experienced stagnant or declining growth. Chester, Chesterfield, and Fairfield counties have all posted negative annualized population growth between 2010 and 2023, while only York and Lancaster counties have seen meaningful population gains. Mining is roughly 25 times more concentrated in Lancaster County than statewide, with an estimated 2.6 percent of the local workforce employed in the Mining, Quarrying, and Gas and Oil Extraction sector.
“These numbers emphasize the important role of Haile Gold Mine as a key economic driver in South Carolina,” said Matt Warner, Asset President of Haile Gold Mine. “These incredible economic contributions include jobs, wages, procurement of goods and services, and increased household spending.”
The Haile property comprises more than 10,000 acres, including an approximately 4,600 acre mine site located about 30 miles south of Charlotte. Gold was first discovered there by Benjamin Haile in 1827, and the site operated intermittently until 1999 before OceanaGold acquired it in 2015 and reopened commercial operations.
