Rahad al-Bardi, December 9 (Darfur24)
Traditional miners in Rahad al-Bardi locality, South Darfur State, said on Monday that the local administration has approved for the use of cyanide in mining operations in the area.
Three miners told Darfur24 that the permission to use cyanide at the Na’is Raqad mine was issued in exchange for 20 percent of the net gold production.
They noted that the mine is currently facing a severe water shortage, despite the relatively low cost of extraction due to gold deposits being close to the surface. More than 5,000 miners are active at the site.
Gold was discovered in Na’is Raqad, located about 20 km west of Rahad al-Bardi, last year, but the mine only gained prominence this year.
According to miners and local sources, the quality of gold there is lower than that found in Sango.
A source told Darfur24 that the mine is administered directly through the local leadership, with senior miners authorized to respond to accidents or disputes.
He added that insecurity in the area has discouraged traders from operating inside the mine, forcing miners to sell their gold in Nyala or transport it to Chad through Um Dukhun.
South Darfur State contains several gold mining sites, including those in the Sango area in the south and the Kodnir area north of Nyala, near Jebel Marra.