A deadly incident occurred at an artisanal gold mining in Mali where at least 43 people have been confirmed dead. The collapse of a mine occurred near Kéniéba, a town situated in the gold-rich Kayes region in the country’s west, and has drawn attention to the widespread yet often unregulated practice of small-scale mining across West Africa.
According to a representative of the national union of gold counters and refineries, the victims were primarily women who had descended into a section of land previously used by industrial mining companies. Seeking remnants of gold left behind, they climbed into an open-pit area that later gave way, trapping them beneath the earth, unaware that the fragile terrain could collapse at any moment.
Although Mali’s mines ministry confirmed the accident, further official details have been limited as investigative teams continue to assess the scene.
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The Kayes region hosts large-scale operations by major gold producers, including global firms such as Barrick Gold and AngloGold Ashanti. While these industrial outfits conduct heavily regulated and mechanized extraction, a substantial number of local residents turn to informal practices for economic survival.
This latest catastrophe echoes a similar incident in late January, when 13 small-scale miners, including women and children, lost their lives after a flooded tunnel caved in on them. Yet despite these tragedies, poverty and limited employment alternatives drive many in rural areas to persist with unregulated extraction.
As the investigation continues, local authorities and advocacy groups are once again calling for policy reforms to prevent further loss of life.
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