Gold miners killed in pit collapse in war-torn Sudan
At least 11 miners have been killed and seven others injured in a partial gold mine collapse in war-torn Sudan’s eastern Nile State, according to local officials.
The incident occurred over the weekend at the Karsh al-Fil mine in the Houeid desert area, Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC), the state-owned mining corporation which is overseeing the project, said on Sunday.
The injured have been hospitalized, SMRC noted in a statement issued after an emergency meeting was held in response to the collapse.
The company added that it had previously halted excavation activities at the site and warned informal miners against continuing operations there due to the “high risk to lives.”
According to the latest World Gold Council data, Sudan ranks as Africa’s fifth-largest gold producer, with a production volume of 73.8 tons in 2024. Roughly 85% of the country’s output reportedly comes from artisanal mining.
Gold mining accidents are common in the African state, particularly in remote desert regions where safety standards are allegedly minimal. In December 2021, at least 38 miners were killed when a disused mine collapsed in West Kordofan State, according to official reports. In April 2023, 14 died in a similar incident in Northern State.
Sudan has been mired in a civil war since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Both groups have been accused of exploiting gold-rich regions to fund their operations.
A report published by the Yale School of the Environment in March claims that gold smuggling and informal mining have increased in Sudan as a result of the ongoing armed conflict. The publication notes that threats of famine triggered by the fighting have pushed many civilians to engage in small-scale gold mining, where they risk their lives using toxic chemicals such as mercury and cyanide to extract the metal.
