This article is devoted to the study of the issue of processing precious metals - gold, silver on the territory of Uzbekistan in the XVI-XIX centuries. Gold was mined by washing sand gold, and was also mined in the form of ore. The historical location of gold was on the banks of the Amudarya, Syrdarya, Zarafshan, Chirchik, Yarkent and Khutan rivers. They were traded with foreign countries. At the end of the 19th century, in the beks of Darvaz, Kulyab, Baldzhuvan, Kurgantepa of the Bukhara Khanate, research was carried out on minerals and precious metals.