Gold mining in Red Sea desert legalized

CAIRO – 27 July 2017: The Head of the Mineral Resources Authority Omar Taema approved on Tuesday issuing licenses for gold miners to work in areas under the control of Shalatin Mineral Resources Company, in order to stop illegal mining and preserve public rights.

Those areas include the towns of Halayeb, Shalatin and Qoseir, the mountains of Ayqat, El Garf, and Elba, and the valleys of Masseih and Atallah. All of these locations are in the south eastern part of the country between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea.

Small and medium mining companies are allowed to operate through Shalatin Company and contact foreign companies through the authority, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm.

Most miners in the area would be from Aswan and Red Sea governorates. What’s more, engineers and geologists would have the possibility to issue expert certifications.

The authority will activate three industrial zones for gold flake extraction in the towns of Edfu, Marsa Alam, and Shalatin so as miners would keep 95 percent of the quantity, while the rest would be acquired by authorities.

Red Sea parliamentarian Ahmed Abou Khalil told press that the parliament would amend the Executive Regulation of Mineral Resources Mining Law taking into consideration social dialogues in order to legalize the work of gold miners.

As Al-Masry Al-Youm reported, nine, including three Sudanese, are apprehended for illegal gold mining in the Red Sea governorate till Public Prosecution finishes investigation.