The term 'GOLD HOLDERS' can be broken down into two crossword solutions: MINES (5 letters) and ORES (4 letters). MINES refer to large excavations of land or sea used to extract minerals, such as gold, from the earth. ORES are rocks or minerals from which a valuable metal, such as gold, can be extracted. Therefore, GOLD HOLDERS can be interpreted as referring to the places where gold is mined and the rocks or minerals that contain gold.