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At least 15 miners have died after part of a disused gold mine collapsed in northern Sudan, according to the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company.
The state-owned mining company said on Monday that the victims had entered the abandoned Mohamed Tawfiq gold mine near Wadi Halfa, close to the Egyptian border, when sections of the mine collapsed. The company said one other miner was injured in the incident.
The collapse comes as Sudan’s gold sector has become increasingly important since the outbreak of war in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, with both sides relying heavily on gold revenues to finance the conflict.
The prolonged fighting has crippled the country’s economy, leaving millions without livelihoods and driving many into informal, often dangerous gold mining.
Most of Sudan’s gold is produced through artisanal and small-scale mining, much of which takes place in abandoned or unregulated sites that lack basic safety standards and frequently expose miners and nearby communities to hazardous chemicals.
Before the conflict, the sector employed more than two million people. Sudan remains one of Africa’s leading gold producers, with the SMRC reporting production of 70 tonnes in 2025, the highest level recorded in five years.
However, authorities say a significant portion of the country’s gold is smuggled through neighbouring countries, including Chad, South Sudan and Egypt, before reaching the United Arab Emirates.
According to Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim, only 20 of the 70 tonnes produced last year were exported through official channels.
