Sudan mine collapse: Alake demands urgent rescue, safety reforms

The Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dele Alake, has called for urgent rescue operations and sweeping safety reforms following the collapse of an informal gold mine in West Kordofan, Sudan.

Alake, in a statement issued on behalf of the continental minerals coalition, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy at the Al-Zaraa gold mine near Al-Nuhud town, where dozens of artisanal miners were reportedly killed, with many others still missing and feared trapped underground.

He commiserated with the families of the victims, their communities, and the people and authorities of Sudan, describing the incident as a devastating reminder of the dangers confronting informal miners across Africa.

According to him, the reported collapse of interconnected shafts in loose terrain highlights the extreme conditions under which millions of artisanal and informal miners operate.

While acknowledging that artisanal mining remains an economic lifeline for communities grappling with conflict and hardship, Alake said mineral extraction should never come at the expense of human life.

He blamed the absence of structural engineering standards, protective equipment and effective regulatory oversight at remote mining sites for creating an unacceptable culture of risk.

The AMSG chairman also raised concern over difficulties confronting rescue teams, noting that survivors and local responders were reportedly relying on rudimentary hand tools because of inadequate heavy excavation equipment.

He called for the immediate mobilisation of regional and local resources to deploy heavy lifting and excavation machinery to the mine site, alongside emergency medical support for survivors.

Alake further urged governments and regional bodies across Africa to accelerate the formalisation of artisanal and informal mining operations through training, basic safety enforcement and stronger institutional oversight.

He said: “Human life must always supersede resource extraction,” stressing that vulnerable miners, particularly those working in conflict-affected and politically unstable areas, must be protected from preventable hazards.

The AMSG chairman reaffirmed the group’s commitment to policies that would ensure Africa’s mineral resources are mined, managed and processed with dignity, safety and respect for human life.