Sudan to Re-Launch Gold Mines Formerly Linked to Militia Leader

The handing over of the mines followed allegations that the company was involved in gold smuggling.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Sudan announced plans to reopen a number of gold mines in the country, which were earlier linked to the family of former militia leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. It must be noted that these mines had accounted for approximately one-third of the gold production by the African nation.

The mining assets in the Jebel Amer region of North Darfur have been held by Al Gunade, a construction and trading firm owned by members of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo’s family, since 2016. The assets were surrendered and handed over to Sudanese government in 2020, as Hamdan became part of the country’s transitional government. The handing over of the mines followed allegations that the company was involved in gold smuggling.

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The country’s Ministry of Mining has already entrusted a team from the General Authority for Geological Research to look into the matter, so as to ensure earliest resumption of operations. The technical team, comprising geological engineering experts, will be led by Mr. Mohamed Gismallah and will cover three axes in Khartoum state. The team will determine sites of building Materials and Ornamental Stones in Khartoum State.

The country had produced nearly 77 tonnes of gold in 2019, thus making it the third largest African gold producing country.