Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
Mali is one of the gold-producing giants in Africa, but very often accidents occur because most of them operate without proper safety measures. Landslides and collapses have become recurring, with authorities unable to control illegal mining activities in the country.
The most recent incident was at an old mining site which had previously been operated by a Chinese firm on Saturday. Although it was officially closed, miners continued working there under unsafe conditions, leading to the collapse. According to Agence France Press (AFP), a police source revealed that as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, the death toll rose to 48. With the victims mostly being women including one carrying a baby. The head of an environmental organization also said rescue operations were still ongoing as there were fears of more people being trapped under the rubble.
This is not the first such incident in Mali. In January, a landslide at a southern goldmine killed at least 10 people, most of whom were women. Many others went missing, illustrating what great risks informal miners are exposed to.
Illegal gold mining has posed as one of the greatest challenge for Malian authorities with the industry attracting thousands seeking economic opportunities, but the lack of regulations and safety measures makes it a deadly occupation. Experts as well as activists have long called for stronger implementations of improved safety measures to prevent such tragedies, but controlling unregulated mining remains herculean task.
While families await news of their missing loved ones as search operations continue, another national tragedy strikes due to dangerous mining practices. It demonstrates the need for swift measures toward stricter enforcement and improved safety measures in Mali’s gold mining sector to prevent future loss of lives.
