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Sudan gold mine collapses leaves over 30 dead, says official

December 29, 2021 at 9:23 am

A gold mine in the Sudanese desert on 3 October 2011 [ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images]

At least 38 were killed when in a defunct gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s central province of Kordofan, an official announced yesterday.

The spokesman of the state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company Limited said that the collapse of the Darsaya mine had also left eight people injured, adding that they were receiving treatment in a local hospital.

He explained that the collapse had taken place in the village of Fuja 700 kilometers south of the capital of Khartoum.

The official also pointed out that the mine was “not functional but local miners returned to work after security forces guarding the site left the area.”

Sudan is a major gold producer with numerous mines scattered across the country. In 2020, it produced 36.6 tons of gold, compared to 93 tons in 2018.

Many of Sudan’s gold mines operate illegally and do not adhere to safety standards.

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