Where is Gold Mined in Sudan?
Gold Mined in Sudan
Despite being one of the world’s poorest countries, Sudan is an important gold producer, contributing about 90t to global supply each year. This makes it the 10th largest gold producer in the world, and the country’s mining sector is viewed as a key contributor to its economic growth.
Artisanal gold mining has been a main source of employment and wealth for many Sudanese, but it is also dangerous and environmentally harmful. It can release toxic waste into the environment, including waterways and valleys, which can lead to long-term health problems and pollution of the surrounding areas.
The government has tried to regulate and improve the artisanal mining industry in the past, but the process remains dangerous and illegal. In many cases, traditional miners dig their trenches deep into the ground without a permit or other authorization. The resulting cyanide-contaminated waste is often sprayed over the ground and into streams, which can cause severe damage to water supplies and human health.
In recent years, the government has introduced new regulations to improve the artisanal mining sector and regulate its practices, such as banning gold mining in areas that have been declared no-go zones. It also has increased the minimum wage for all workers in the industry.
Where is Gold Mined in Sudan?
However, according to CNN’s insider sources, around 90% of the gold that’s produced in informal artisanal mines is being illegally smuggled out of Sudan. This amounts to about $13.4 billion worth of gold that is being diverted from the official government budget.
Several of these gold smuggling rings have been linked to Russian-backed companies. The US Treasury has identified one such company, Meroe Gold, as having ties to the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-backed mercenary firm alleged to have provided security and military support for several unstable African regimes, including Mali.
Meanwhile, Prigozhin, a prominent Kremlin-backed businessman who owns a slew of gold-extraction and mercenary companies, has been traveling to Sudan on a regular basis since 2017, when the US Treasury says he developed plans for Bashir’s regime to suppress pro-democracy protests. During this time, he’s helped Meroe secure an operating permit and access to semi-processed gold ore from small-scale operators.
This operation has also been linked to Russia’s state-run mining firm Alrosa, which is based in Khartoum and owns several mining projects in the north of the country. The company has been criticized for its lack of transparency and is accused of having smuggled a lot of gold to Russia, where it was able to bypass international financial monitoring systems.
These gold-smuggling activities are part of a wider conspiracy to help Kremlin-backed companies evade Western sanctions and bolster Russia’s state coffers. As a result, it’s “a serious concern,” said a spokesperson for the US State Department.
The Kremlin’s meddling in Sudan’s gold trade began in 2014, when it invaded Crimea and prompted a slew of international sanctions. Its smuggling operations grew in scope as it sought to sidestep international financial monitoring systems and bolster its coffers.
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