More than 40 people, many of them women, tragically lost their lives in an illegal gold mine collapse near Kenieba, Mali on Saturday. The incident occurred in the Kayes region, known for its rich gold deposits, where workers sought scraps of gold from open-pit areas left behind by industrial miners. A local gold miner's union leader reported that the ground caved in on the miners.
Casualty reports vary, with local police stating 48 dead while union officials reported 43 victims. Heartbreakingly, some victims included a woman with her baby on her back who fell into water during the incident.
Mali, one of the world's top gold producers, suffers frequent mining accidents due to unregulated and hazardous mining practices. This collapse follows another incident in late January, where flooding in a mining tunnel resulted in at least 10 fatalities.
The authorities confirmed that the latest collapse occurred at an abandoned site once run by a Chinese firm, with teams on-site drafting a report. Mali's ongoing disputes over mining revenue with Canadian company Barrick also add to the complex landscape of the country’s mining sector.
Casualty reports vary, with local police stating 48 dead while union officials reported 43 victims. Heartbreakingly, some victims included a woman with her baby on her back who fell into water during the incident.
Mali, one of the world's top gold producers, suffers frequent mining accidents due to unregulated and hazardous mining practices. This collapse follows another incident in late January, where flooding in a mining tunnel resulted in at least 10 fatalities.
The authorities confirmed that the latest collapse occurred at an abandoned site once run by a Chinese firm, with teams on-site drafting a report. Mali's ongoing disputes over mining revenue with Canadian company Barrick also add to the complex landscape of the country’s mining sector.
