Sudan Gold Mine Collapse Leaves At Least 60 Dead Or Missing

A gold mine collapse in Sudan’s West Kordofan state has left at least 60 people dead, while more than 70 artisanal miners were reported dead or missing after adjoining shafts collapsed at the al-Zara mine.

The collapse occurred on Sunday at the Fouja mining area, northwest of al-Nuhud. The Kordofan Observatory monitoring group reported the disaster on Wednesday as rescue efforts continued amid difficult conditions at the remote site.

The situation became more urgent after a survivor emerged from the mine late Tuesday and reportedly indicated that other miners were still alive underground.

However, rescue efforts have been hampered by unstable sandy ground and the absence of specialised rescue teams and equipment. Local residents have been attempting to reach trapped miners and recover bodies using basic tools.

The disaster again highlights the safety risks facing Sudan’s artisanal gold mining sector, where small-scale operations account for the majority of the country’s gold production. Mine collapses and other accidents have repeatedly claimed the lives of miners working in difficult and often poorly equipped conditions.

At least 32 people were killed in a Sudanese mine collapse in 2021, while another collapse in the Northern state in 2023 killed 14 miners and injured more than 20 others.

The latest accident occurred in West Kordofan, an area where gold mining has also become closely linked to Sudan’s ongoing conflict. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces control the region and derive revenue from gold mining activities.

Gold has become an important source of income during the conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces, which began in 2023.

The European Union has introduced restrictions targeting Sudan’s gold sector, prohibiting the purchase, import or transfer of gold originating in Sudan and exported after July 15. The measures were subsequently expanded to restrict the sale, supply, transfer or export of mercury and sodium cyanide to Sudan, as well as related technical and financial services.

The EU has said gold mining and exploitation provide significant revenue to both sides of the conflict, with the restrictions intended to limit resources that can contribute to sustaining the war.

At the al-Zara mine, reports that some miners could still be alive underground have added urgency to the rescue effort. However, unstable terrain and limited access to specialised equipment continue to make recovery operations extremely difficult.

The incident underscores the persistent safety challenges facing Sudan’s artisanal mining sector, where miners continue to operate in hazardous conditions while gold remains a critical source of income for communities and a significant part of the country’s wider economy.