adverts
At least 40 people, mostly women, have been killed following the collapse of an illegal gold mine near Kéniéba in Mali’s western Kayes region on Saturday.
The victims had entered open-pit areas abandoned by industrial miners, searching for leftover gold when the ground beneath them gave way.
The collapse has sparked conflicting reports regarding the number of fatalities. A police source cited by AFP confirmed 48 deaths, while a union leader reported 43 victims. Some of the victims were trapped in water, including a woman who was carrying her baby on her back at the time.
adverts
Rescue efforts have successfully retrieved the bodies. This marks the second deadly mining accident in Mali in less than a month. In January, a mining tunnel flooded, killing at least 10 people.
Mali, one of the world’s top gold producers, often faces mining-related accidents due to the prevalence of illegal mining, which is typically conducted without safety measures. Many miners, particularly women, are drawn to abandoned sites in hopes of finding gold, driven by the country’s pervasive poverty.
The collapsed mine site, previously operated by a Chinese company, is part of a broader issue of unregulated mining practices, which have led to numerous safety concerns. Mali’s natural resources, including gold, attract foreign investment, but the industry’s environmental and financial challenges persist.
The Malian government is also in the midst of a dispute with Barrick Gold, one of the largest mining companies operating in the country, over revenue-sharing issues.
Click the link Puretvonline.com | WhatsApp Channel to join the WhatsApp channel
GOT A STORY?
Contact/WhatsApp: +233243201960 or Email: manuelnkansah33@gmail.com
