At least 48 people have died after an illegal gold mine collapsed in western Mali on Saturday, local authorities confirmed. This tragedy once again highlights the dangers of unregulated mining in the country, which is one of Africa’s leading gold producers.
Mali is one of the poorest nations in the world despite its rich natural resources. Many people depend on illegal mining for their livelihoods, especially in rural areas where formal jobs are scarce. Unfortunately, these mining sites often lack basic safety measures, resulting in frequent accidents such as landslides and tunnel collapses that claim many lives.
Risks of illegal gold mine in Mali’s mining sector
A local police source confirmed that 48 people died in the collapse. The victims were mostly young women, with one of them carrying her child when the mine caved in. The site had been abandoned by a Chinese company but continued to attract illegal miners.
Boubacar Keita, from the Kenieba gold prospectors’ association, also confirmed the death toll of 48. He pointed out that the site was illegal and stressed the challenges of regulating such areas. “There is a lot of complicity in the exploitation of these sites in the region,” he said. He urged the government to enforce stricter regulations to prevent such accidents.
This tragedy highlights the ongoing risks of unregulated mining. A local environmental leader called for stronger regulations to protect miners. He also urged the government to take more action to ensure that safety standards are upheld. Rescue teams are still working to recover victims from the rubble.
This is not the first such disaster in recent months. In January, a landslide at a gold mine in southern Mali killed at least 10 people, most of them women. Over a year ago, a tunnel collapse in the same region claimed more than 70 lives. These repeated accidents highlight the severe dangers faced by workers in Mali’s informal mining sector.
