Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe said it was important for the department to take illegal mining and cable theft seriously.
Failing which, the mining industry will go to the dogs, he said.
"Illegal mining is costing the country so dearly," said Mantashe
Mantashe was speaking at Gloria mine in Middleburg, Mpumalanga on Friday following the deaths of alleged cable thieves who entered the shaft illegally and died there after a gas explosion.
Twenty-two others are believed to still be trapped underground.
Mantashe went to the mine to receive a progress report on the rescue operation because thus far efforts to retrieve the bodies have had to be put on hold due to safety reasons.
This was after it was established that it would be unsafe for rescuers to go underground due to the presence of harmful gasses.
It was agreed that a fan was needed to pump in fresh air underground so that the harmful gasses could dissipate.
Mantashe said mines in the area were working together to recover the bodies underground.
"If we don't do so we will have to close Gloria forever because the odour you will find when you go down Gloria shaft will keep you away, there will be no mining. So those bodies must be taken out to create future mining," he said.