Africa21 September, 20262 min read
Sudan Gold Mine Collapse Kills At Least 10, Injures 21 Near Egypt Border
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West Kordofan al-Zaraa mine collapse kills at least 60, with dozens missing. Shafts collapsed at al-Zara mine near al-Nuhud, sparking ongoing rescue.
Awny collapse toll disputed
A gold mine collapse in northern Sudan killed at least 10 people and injured 21, survivors said, as the search continued for people believed to be trapped beneath the rubble at the Awny mining area near Sudan’s border with Egypt. Survivors told AFP that they had recovered 10 bodies and pulled 21 injured workers from the site, while rescue teams continued searching for those still under the debris.
A separate report said the collapse killed at least 11 miners and injured 30, with a search operation continuing for people feared trapped under the debris in Sudan’s Red Sea state. A third account put the death toll at 10 and the injuries at 21, saying rescue teams recovered 10 bodies and 21 injured miners in the Oni area of Red Sea State, with search operations continuing for those still trapped.
War economy drives risk
Sudan’s gold production reached 70 tonnes last year, and most of the gold exports end up in the UAE. Joseph Tucker, senior analyst on the Horn of Africa at the International Crisis Group, said, "This disaster is yet another example of the deadly hazards facing those working in Sudan’s gold mines," and Tucker added that many mines are informal, artisanal and unregulated.
Tucker said, "Most of these (gold mines) are informal, artisanal mines in remote areas that are unregulated" and the war and economic collapse made gold mining appear lucrative despite the risks. The renewed attention on mine hazards followed wartime desperation, and the collapse came just days after another deadly accident at a gold mine in West Kordofan State where a collapse at the al-Zaraa mine near en-Nahud left at least 82 people dead.
What happens next
Kamil Idris met with the minister of minerals and spoke on policies for regulating traditional mining and the management and control of various mineral markets. Sudan went to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in March 2025, accusing the UAE of supporting and funding the RSF using gold, while the UAE denied accusations that it supplies weapons to the RSF.
Port Sudan, the country’s main port, is home to most of the deposits and has been largely controlled by the Sudanese Army since the war began, while areas controlled by the RSF are also populated by gold deposits. "much of Sudan’s gold is taken out of the country through smuggling or illicit networks instead of passing through government channels" and the mining deaths raised larger questions over how Sudan manages the sector.