In Sudan’s war economy, gold continues to flow as miners risk mercury poisoning and mine collapses. Men carrying metal detectors scan mountainous areas in northern Sudan, searching for gold in an environment lacking basic safety measures. These unregulated miners work in small-scale private mines like the one in Dalgo Mahas, part of a sector central to the devastating war that has pushed parts of the country into famine.
Gold as a Key Revenue Source
Gold has become a major source of funding for Sudan’s treasury after the country lost over two-thirds of its oil revenues with South Sudan’s secession in 2011. The precious metal accounted for 70% of national revenues in subsequent years, providing foreign currency. Recently, gold has been central to the war between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Large quantities are smuggled out to finance paramilitaries controlling gold-producing areas in Darfur and Kordofan, according to UN-commissioned experts.
Human Cost of the Conflict
The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, which notes the toll is likely an underestimate. The war created the world’s largest humanitarian disaster, forcing over 10 million people to flee. Many displaced persons have turned to mining to survive. “Gold mining is the only thing I can rely on,” said Atta al-Khazin, a 28-year-old former farmer. “Due to high oil prices, agriculture no longer covered expenses.” Zahir Adam, a 35-year-old father from el-Fasher, said the sector has drawn many since the war began over three years ago, offering “no other option.”
Production and Revenue
Sudan produced 70 tons of gold last year, up from 64 tons in 2024, making it one of Africa’s top producers. Gold generated about $1.8 billion in revenues in 2025, according to the state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company. Artisanal and small-scale mining accounts for the majority of extraction, with safety standards largely ignored. Miners crush ore, apply toxic mercury to create an amalgam, then heat it to evaporate the mercury and recover gold, a process hazardous to both miners and nearby residents.
Smuggling and Safety
Many mines are not government-controlled. A 2024 UN panel report stated that over 50% of gold mined in Sudan is smuggled out. Deadly collapses are common: last month, seven miners died in a Red Sea province collapse; in January, thirteen died in South Kordofan. A civilian transitional government after Omar al-Bashir’s 2019 overthrow attempted to regulate the industry, but efforts were aborted by a 2021 military coup and the 2023 war.
