November 24, 2023
The number of people killed when an illegal gold mine collapsed in Suriname rose to 14 on Tuesday, with seven others missing in what is considered the South American country’s worst mining accident.
Rescue crews combed through mounds of earth in hopes of finding survivors as the government launched an investigation into the deadly incident that occurred Monday in the country’s remote southern region.
“We are shocked and offer our condolences to the relatives,” President Chandrikapersad Santokhi said during a short, televised speech.
He said the incident occurred in an area where a gold vein was previously discovered, attracting large groups of illegal miners.
Fellow miners had recovered most of the bodies by the time government rescue teams arrived at the site in the country’s south, Jerry Slijngard of the Disaster Management Coordination Centre told local Radio ABC Suriname on Tuesday morning.
A French search and rescue team will assist in recovering more potential casualties, he added.
President Chan Santokhi on Monday announced a moment of national mourning over the deaths.
Rosebel Gold Mines, the subsidiary purchased by Zijin in February, said in a statement on Monday it regretted the deaths and had tried to remove informal miners, known locally as pork knockers, with an eviction order, but they had returned.
“We have been in discussions with the Surinamese authorities for quite some time, during which we have repeatedly emphasized the dangers of illegal gold mining,” the company said. “There have been several efforts earlier this year to address this dangerous situation.”
The company said it met on Monday with Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk about informal mining and then received news of the collapse, which it called “a poignant reminder” of the dangers of informal mining.
Canadian miner Iamgold Corp, Rosebel’s previous owner, dismissed 325 contractors in 2019 after a clash between illegal miners and police, and later that year suffered a blockade.
Zijin faces issues with informal and illegal mining at other operations in South America.