The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) has called for the immediate mobilisation of rescue equipment and a review of safety standards following the collapse of an informal gold mine in West Kordofan, Sudan.
The group, in a statement issued on Thursday by Dele Alake, its chairman, said heavy lifting and excavation equipment should be deployed to the Al-Zaraa gold mine near Al-Nuhud town to support ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.
The collapse reportedly occurred at the artisanal mining site, with initial reports indicating that dozens of miners had died while others remained missing and feared trapped beneath the rubble.
AMSG expressed condolences to the families and communities affected by the incident, describing the collapse as a reminder of the safety risks associated with informal and artisanal mining operations across Africa.
According to the group, the reported collapse of interconnected shafts in loose terrain highlights the vulnerability of miners working without adequate structural engineering standards, safety equipment and regulatory oversight.
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It also said the rescue effort had been hampered by the absence of heavy excavation machinery, leaving survivors and local responders to rely largely on basic hand tools.
“Human life must always supersede resource extraction,” Alake said, calling for greater protection of miners operating in conflict-affected and politically unstable areas.
AMSG also urged Sudanese authorities and other stakeholders to accelerate the formalisation of artisanal and informal mining operations.
The group said governments, regional bodies and industry stakeholders should strengthen training, safety enforcement and institutional oversight to reduce risks to workers and improve the management of Africa’s mineral resources.
While acknowledging the economic importance of artisanal mining to communities affected by conflict and economic hardship, AMSG said mining activities should be conducted within frameworks that protect workers and uphold safety standards.
The group said it remained committed to promoting policies that would ensure Africa’s mineral resources are mined, managed and processed with greater emphasis on worker safety and responsible resource management.
