As the latest tragedy in an area where mining accidents are common, local sources informed AFP on Wednesday that around 70 people had died after a tunnel collapsed at a gold mining site in Mali last week.
A prominent producer of gold in Africa is Mali, one of the poorest nations on Earth.
Authority struggles to oversee artisanal mining of the precious metal, and disastrous landslides frequently occur at gold mining sites.
“A sound preceded it. Oumar Sidibe, a representative for gold miners in the village of Kangaba in the southwest, described the occurrence to AFP on Friday, saying, “The earth started to shake.”
In the field were more than two hundred gold miners. The hunt is finally concluded. 73 bodies have been found,” he declared.
One of the local council members paid the same toll.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Mali’s Ministry of mines reported the deaths of multiple miners but did not provide exact numbers.
The “deepest condolences to the grieving families and the Malian people” were sent by the government.
It additionally asked “communities residing near mining sites and individuals involved in gold mining to diligently adhere to safety regulations and operate only within designated areas for gold panning.”
Worldwide companies such as Canadian Barrick Gold and B2Gold, Australian Resolute Mining, British Hummingbird Resources, and Australian Barrick Gold are the main players in Mali’s mining sector. These enterprises are still in business even after experiencing protracted political unrest.
Artisanal mines, however, continue to exist and attract large numbers of gold miners. There are serious risks associated with gold mining in the Sahel, and child labor in artisanal mining operations is regularly denounced by human rights organizations.
