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Bamako, Mali – at least 43 people, mainly women, were killed after an informal gold mine collapsed in western Mali on Saturday, said the chief of an industry union.
The accident took place near the city of Kéniéba in the Kayes region rich in gold, Taoule Camara, the secretary general of the National Union of Golden Counters and Refineries, told Reuters. The women had descended themselves on the open-air areas left by industrial minors to search for golden pieces when the earth collapsed around them, he said.
A representative of the Ministry of Mines confirmed that the accident had taken place between the cities of Kenieba and Dabia, but refused to give more details, because the teams of the ministry on the scene had not yet shared their report.
Informal exploitation, also known as artisanal extraction, is a common activity in a large part of West Africa and has become more lucrative in recent years due to an increasing demand for metals and ‘an increase in prices. Mortal accidents are frequent because these minors often use unregulated methods and work under dangerous conditions.
Thirteen craft minors, including women and three children, died in southwest Mali at the end of January, after a tunnel in which they died for flooded gold.
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