The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) has called for the immediate mobilisation of rescue equipment and urgent reforms in artisanal mining following the collapse of the Al-Zaraa gold mine near Al-Nuhud in Sudan’s West Kordofan State.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of AMSG, Dr. Dele Alake, in Abuja.
The statement expresses condolences to the families and communities affected by the tragedy.
According to the statement, reports from the area indicate that at least 67 people had been confirmed dead, while other local sources reported that the death toll had risen to 82, with several miners still feared trapped beneath the rubble.
It says rescue operations have reportedly been constrained by lack of specialised equipment.
According to the statement, Dr. Alake describes the incident as a devastating reminder of the dangers confronting artisanal and informal miners across Africa, particularly workers operating in remote and conflict-affected areas.
It states that the reported collapse of interconnected shafts at the informal mining site highlights the consequences of inadequate safety standards, protective equipment, engineering controls and emergency-response capacity.
According to him, artisanal and small-scale mining remains an important source of livelihood for millions of Africans, particularly communities facing economic hardship, but the pursuit of mineral resources must not come at the expense of human life.
It calls for the immediate pooling of available regional and local resources to deploy heavy lifting and excavation equipment to the affected site.
The statement says urgent rescue operations should remain the priority, with medical assistance also provided to survivors and others affected by the disaster.
It further urges authorities across Africa to accelerate the formalisation of artisanal and informal mining operations by strengthening regulatory oversight, worker training and basic safety requirements.
According to Dr. Alake governments, regional institutions and industry stakeholders must work together to establish safer mining environments and improve emergency-response mechanisms at artisanal mining sites.
The statement stresses that workers operating in conflict-affected and politically unstable regions were particularly vulnerable and required stronger institutional protection against preventable mining hazards.
It also calls for greater investment in safety training, appropriate mining technology and monitoring systems to reduce the recurrence of mine collapses and other accidents within the artisanal mining sector.
The statement adds that the Sudan tragedy should serve as a renewed continental call to place human safety at the centre of Africa’s mineral-resource development strategy.
“Human life must always supersede resource extraction,” Alake said, reaffirming the AMSG’s commitment to policies that promote the safe, sustainable and responsible exploration, mining and processing of Africa’s mineral resources.
According to the statement the Africa Minerals Strategy Group expresses solidarity with the bereaved families and communities in West Kordofan, while calling for sustained efforts to rescue those who may still be trapped and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
