Story perspectives

Gold mine collapse kills at least 67 artisanal miners

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 2:36 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The al-Zara gold mine near al-Nuhud collapsed, killing at least 67 people.
The collapse occurred in territory controlled by the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary.
Survivors said no specialized rescue teams arrived and only basic tools were used.
The Kordofan Observatory said over 70 artisanal miners are dead or missing.
Artisanal mining employs over 2 million Sudanese and yields about 80% of Sudan’s gold.

History

Historical Context

On 5 August 2010 a cave-in at the San José copper-gold mine near Copiapó trapped 33 miners 700 m underground. The 69-day rescue, led by state miner Codelco and supported by NASA, cost about US$20 million and spurred Chile’s 2010 safety overhaul after 43 mining deaths in 2008. The episode illustrates enduring global risks in artisanal and industrial mining.

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Story summary

The al-Zara gold mine near al-Nuhud collapsed, killing at least 67 people.
The collapse occurred in territory controlled by the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary.
Survivors said no specialized rescue teams arrived and only basic tools were used.
The Kordofan Observatory said over 70 artisanal miners are dead or missing.
Artisanal mining employs over 2 million Sudanese and yields about 80% of Sudan’s gold.

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