At least 50 people have tragically lost their lives following the collapse of an illegal gold mine in the Kayes region of western Mali, a country known for its substantial gold reserves. The incident occurred on Saturday near Kenieba, an area that has long been a hub for both industrial and artisanal mining operations.
The collapse took place in an abandoned open-pit mining area previously operated by industrial companies, where artisanal miners were attempting to recover residual gold from the unstable ground. These miners, working without the necessary safety protocols or equipment, were caught off guard when the ground gave way, leading to a devastating cave-in.
Taoule Camara, Secretary General of the National Union of Gold Counters and Refineries (UCROM), confirmed the incident, adding that the victims had ventured into the abandoned site, which had been left unregulated after previous industrial operations. Initial reports suggest that the collapse occurred between the towns of Kenieba and Dabia, although details remain scarce as the Ministry of Mines continues its assessment of the scene.
Local police officials initially reported 48 fatalities, though conflicting figures emerged throughout the day, with some sources citing 43 and others, including Xinhua, claiming that the toll had reached 49, with 49 women and one man confirmed dead. Further reports indicated that the collapse was triggered by a Caterpillar machine, which fell onto the artisanal mining site while workers were extracting gold from a former industrial operation.
The collapse caused some victims to fall into water-filled pits, including a woman with an infant strapped to her back, according to sources. Local authorities and rescue teams are currently working to recover the bodies and provide closure to the affected families.
This disaster follows a similar tragedy in January, when a landslide at a gold mine in southern Mali claimed at least ten lives, underscoring the ongoing dangers faced by artisanal miners in the country. Unregulated mining operations, often carried out in hazardous conditions, continue to put lives at risk in Mali, one of Africa’s largest gold producers.
Mali’s unregulated mining sector has long been a source of concern, with many artisanal miners using primitive tools and techniques to extract gold, often in perilous conditions.
