At least 43 people, mostly women, lost their lives when an artisanal gold mine collapsed in western Mali on Saturday, according to industry officials.
The tragedy, according to the secretary general of the national union of gold counters and refineries (UCROM), Taoule Camara, occurred near the town of Kenieba, in the gold-rich Kayes region.
The victims had descended into open-pit areas left behind by industrial mining operations to search for leftover gold when the ground caved in around them, he said.
A spokesperson for Mali’s mines ministry confirmed the incident took place between Kenieba and Dabia, stating that ministry teams on the scene had yet to complete their report.
Artisanal mining is widespread across West Africa, where rising gold prices have made the practice more lucrative. However, the sector remains largely unregulated, leading to frequent deadly accidents.
This latest disaster, as noticed by WorldClass247News, follows a similar incident in late January, 2024, when 13 artisanal miners, including women and three children, were killed after a gold-mining tunnel flooded in southwest Mali.