Johannesbarg | At least 14 artisanal miners are dead and scores are injured at a disused mine in South Africa, police said Tuesday.

The South African Police Service said the miners were found dead at a mine near the city of Rustenburg, around 130 kilometers northwest of Johannesburg.

The national police service did not give more details on the circumstances of the deaths, but said the provincial police commissioner was on the way to the mine.

South Africa has tens of thousands of artisanal miners working illegally in gold and platinum mines that are no longer being used by mining companies. The informal miners often operate without proper safety equipment and sometimes stay underground for weeks as they search for leftover deposits.

Informal mining is a deep problem in South Africa and is connected to criminal syndicates. The informal miners often operate in gangs that sometimes fight violent battles with rival gangs.

Rustenburg is a hub for platinum mining in South Africa, which has the largest platinum reserves in the world. (AP)