38 people die in a defunct gold mine collapsed in West Kordofan province in Sudan
Sudanese authorities said at least 38 people were killed on Tuesday when a defunct gold mine collapsed in West Kordofan province. The country’s state-run mining company said in a statement the collapse of the closed, non-functioning mine took place in the village of Fuja 700 kilometres (435 miles) south of...
Gold rush: UN experts say much of illegal gold exported from Congo is overseen by armed groups
Under US law, gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its neighbours is considered a “conflict mineral,” meaning companies publicly traded in the US are required to report to the Securities Exchange Commission if they might be using gold mined in conflict areas, but there’s no sanction for...
Smuggled African gold: Is London Bullion Market Association a toothless dog or complicit in illicit trade?
In an unprecedented move, the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), which regulates the world’s biggest gold market, last year threatened to bar its accredited refineries from sourcing metal from countries that didn’t meet its responsible sourcing standards. While it didn’t name any state, Bin Sulayem issued a rebuke on behalf...
Pandemic-induced gold leaks from Africa drive illicit markets as UAE is accused of trading in smuggled minerals
In the moon-like landscape of northern Sudan, informal gold miners toil with spades and pickaxes to extract their prize from shallow pits that pockmark the terrain. Mining ore in the sweltering heat of the Nubian desert is the first stage of an illicit network that has exploded in the past...
Somalia turmoil escalates as troops loyal to PM Roble camp near President Farmajo’s residence
Hundreds of troops loyal to Somalia’s Prime Minister Mohammed Hussein Roble camped on Tuesday near the residence of his political rival President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, a day after the president tried to suspend the prime minister. Roble has called Mohamed’s plan to suspend him a coup attempt. A statement from...
