The article studies unpublished archival documents on the organization and work of gold miners conventions in 1898–1919. The article discribes the history of gold miners conventions that represented independent institutions and acted for the collective interests of gold-miners. The author reveals contradictions in solving forthcoming issues between gold miners. The author highlights gold miners' main interests and problems at the turn of the 20th century. The article analyzes different research approaches to the significance and role of the conventions and their relationship with the government. The value of the documents on conventions for the research of social, technical and financial problems in gold mining is outlined. Based on archival data the article considers the impact of gold mining in the Russo-Japanese and the First World Wars.