Bogota - At least eight miners died and four others were injured in the collapse of a gold mine in northwest Colombia, officials said Tuesday.

Victor Tamayo, governor of Choco province, said the mine was located in a remote, jungle region about four hours from the nearest city.

In a separate incident in the same province, the Attorney General's office confiscated 24 dredges used in illegal gold-mining operations without permits that caused environmental degradation.

The office said the machinery was seized at several points along the Quito River, in the municipalities of Paimado and Manugru.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy reported that 400 hectares of forest were destroyed this year by illegal gold-mining, and that 3.7 tons of mercury had been dumped into the soil and rivers, endangering public health and the environment.