The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) has expressed deep sorrow over the reported collapse of the informal Al-Zaraa gold mine near Al-Nuhud town in West Kordofan, Sudan, which has reportedly claimed dozens of lives.
The Chairman of the AMSG, Dele Alake, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 17, 2026, extended the group’s condolences to the families and communities of the artisanal miners who lost their lives, as well as to the people and authorities of Sudan.
Alake said the reported loss of lives, with several others feared trapped beneath the rubble, underscored the dangerous conditions confronting artisanal and informal miners across Africa.
According to him, initial reports indicated that the tragedy occurred following the collapse of interconnected shafts in loose terrain, exposing the structural vulnerabilities of informal mining operations.
He noted that while artisanal mining remains an important source of livelihood for communities facing conflict and economic hardship, it should not come at the expense of workers’ safety and human dignity.
The AMSG Chairman identified the absence of structural engineering standards, adequate safety equipment and effective regulatory oversight at some remote mining sites as factors that expose miners to preventable risks.
He also expressed concern over difficulties confronting rescue efforts at the collapsed mine, noting that survivors and local responders were reportedly relying on rudimentary hand tools because of the lack of heavy excavation equipment.
AMSG Calls for Immediate Rescue Mobilisation
Against this backdrop, the AMSG called for the immediate mobilisation of available regional and local resources to support rescue operations at the Al-Zaraa mine.
The group urged authorities and relevant stakeholders to deploy heavy lifting and excavation equipment to the site to accelerate search-and-rescue operations and provide medical attention to survivors.
The AMSG further called on authorities across Africa to prioritise miner safety and accelerate the formalisation of artisanal and informal mining operations.
It urged governments, regional institutions and industry stakeholders to work together to provide miners with appropriate training, basic safety measures and effective institutional oversight.
“Human life must always supersede resource extraction,” the statement said, stressing the need to protect vulnerable workers, particularly those operating in conflict-affected and politically unstable areas, from preventable hazards.
The AMSG said it remained in solidarity with the grieving families in Kordofan and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting policies that ensure Africa’s mineral resources are mined, managed and processed with dignity, safety and respect for human life.
