The Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dr Dele Alake, has called on local and regional authorities in Sudan to urgently deploy heavy excavation machinery and emergency response resources to rescue miners trapped following the collapse of the informal Al-Zaraa gold mine in West Kordofan.
Alake made the appeal in a statement personally signed by him in Abuja on Thursday, expressing concern over the reported loss of lives and the limited resources available for the ongoing rescue operation.
He said initial reports indicated that dozens of artisanal miners had died, while several others remained trapped or missing after inter connected shafts collapsed in unstable terrain near Al-Nuhud town.
According to him, the rescue operation was being hampered by a lack of heavy equipment, forcing local responders to rely largely on hand tools to search through the debris.
“All available regional and local resources must be urgently pooled to deploy heavy lifting and excavation equipment to the Al-Zaraa site to accelerate the search-and-rescue efforts and provide medical care to any survivors,” Alake said.
The AMSG chairman described the incident as a preventable crisis linked to the structural vulnerabilities associated with informal mining operations.
He acknowledged that artisanal mining remains an important source of livelihood for communities affected by conflict and economic hardship, but stressed that the pursuit of mineral resources should not compromise workers’ lives and safety.
“It is with profound shock, sorrow, and a heavy heart that the Africa Minerals Strategy Group receives the devastating reports of the mine collapse,” Alake said, while extending condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and the people of Sudan.
He further raised concerns over the absence of basic safety measures at many informal mining sites, including structural engineering standards, protective equipment and effective regulatory supervision.
“While artisanal mining serves as a vital economic lifeline… it must never come at the cost of human dignity and safety,” he said.
Beyond the immediate rescue operation, Alake called for stronger efforts by African governments to formalise artisanal and small scale mining activities across the continent.
He said formalisation should be accompanied by the enforcement of minimum safety requirements, technical training for miners and stronger regulatory oversight, particularly in areas affected by conflict or political instability.
“Human life must always supersede resource extraction. Vulnerable workers operating in conflict affected or politically unstable regions must be protected from preventable structural hazards,” Alake stated.
He reaffirmed the AMSG’s commitment to promoting responsible mineral development in Africa, with greater emphasis on worker safety, dignity and the protection of human life.
