(MENAFN) At least 11 gold miners lost their lives and seven others were injured when part of a gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s eastern Nile State, local officials confirmed. The accident took place over the weekend at the Karsh al-Fil mine in the Houeid desert region, according to the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC), the state-run body overseeing the site.

The injured miners were hospitalized, the SMRC said in a statement following an emergency meeting about the collapse. The company had previously suspended excavation activities at the site and cautioned informal miners against working there due to significant safety risks.

Sudan is Africa’s fifth-largest gold producer, with a reported output of 73.8 tons in 2024, according to the World Gold Council. About 85% of the country’s gold production comes from artisanal mining. Mining accidents are common, especially in remote desert areas where safety measures are often lacking. For example, in December 2021, a mine collapse in West Kordofan State killed at least 38 miners, and in April 2023, 14 miners died in a similar incident in Northern State.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Both factions have reportedly exploited the gold-rich areas to finance their conflict.

A March report from Yale School of the Environment noted that ongoing fighting has led to increased gold smuggling and informal mining in Sudan. The report highlighted that famine threats driven by the conflict have pushed many civilians into dangerous small-scale gold mining, where hazardous chemicals like mercury and cyanide are used to extract gold, risking lives and health.

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