11 killed, 7 injured in tragic gold mine collapse

At least 11 miners have lost their lives, and seven others sustained injuries after a traditional gold mine partially collapsed in northeastern Sudan, according to the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC).

The fatal accident occurred at the Kirsh al-Fil artisanal mine, located in the remote desert area of Howeid, nestled between the cities of Atbara and Haiya in Sudan’s Red Sea state, a region currently under the control of the Sudanese army.

Authorities confirmed on Sunday that the collapse involved an “artisanal shaft,” a common but risky method of gold extraction often used in Sudan’s informal mining sector. Rescue operations have since been launched, although the challenging terrain has made response efforts difficult.

The collapse comes amid ongoing conflict between Sudan’s regular armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023.

Since the outbreak of hostilities, Sudan’s gold sector has played a significant role in financing both sides of the war effort.

Reports from both official channels and non-governmental organizations suggest that most of Sudan’s gold exports pass through the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE has faced allegations of supplying arms to the RSF, intensifying scrutiny of the country’s involvement in Sudan’s conflict.

It did not mention when the collapse took place.

The war, now in its third year, has shattered Sudan’s already-fragile economy, yet the army-backed government announced record gold production of 64 tonnes in 2024.

Africa’s third-largest country is one of the continent’s top gold producers, but artisanal and small-scale gold mining accounts for the majority of gold extracted.

In contrast to larger industrial facilities, these mines lack safety measures and use hazardous chemicals that often cause widespread diseases in nearby areas.

SMRC said it had previously suspended work in the mine and “warned against its continuing activity due to its posing great risk to life”.

Before the war, which has pushed 25 million people into dire food insecurity, artisanal mining employed more than two million people, according to the industry.

Today, according to mining industry sources and experts, much of the gold produced by both sides is smuggled to Chad, South Sudan and Egypt, before reaching the UAE, the world’s second-largest gold exporter.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Sudan, where over 10 million people are currently displaced in the world’s largest displacement crisis.