In brief
Over the weekend, a devastating accident at an unregulated gold mine near Kéniéba in Mali's Kayes region led to the deaths of at least 43 individuals, predominantly women searching for gold scraps. The incident reflects the peril of informal mining, a common but hazardous livelihood in the region, where rising metal prices have drawn many to abandon safety for potential profit. The secretary-general of the national union of gold counters and refineries reported the tragedy, emphasizing that the victims were working in abandoned industrial mining pits when the earth gave way. This incident follows another tragic event in January, where thirteen artisanal miners lost their lives due to flooding in a mining tunnel.
The ongoing plight of informal miners in Mali underscores the urgent need for better regulations and safety measures to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future.
