KHARTOUM, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's gold production in the first quarter of 2018 reached 36.5 tons with revenues amounting to around 778.548 million Sudanese pounds (42.9 million U.S. dollars), Sudan Minerals Ministry said on Sunday.
A report from Sudanese Minerals Resources Company indicated that the production by the traditional mining represents 88 percent as it registered 32 tons of the total production.
Statistics show that about one million Sudanese work in the traditional mining sector.
Sudan is seeking to make gold a major source of foreign currency after losing three quarters of its oil revenues due to the separation of South Sudan in 2011.
Around 461 companies are operating in the minerals field in Sudan, where the mining sector represents 40 percent of Sudan's minerals exports.
In 2017, Sudan's gold production reached 100 tons worth about 400 million U.S. dollars, enabling Sudan to rank the second among Africa's gold producing and exporting countries, according to Sudan Minerals Ministry.
