by Bamako, Mali – a gold mine collapsed in East Mali, killing dozens of people and injured much more, according to Malian television and officials in the Kéniéba district where the accident occurred. It is the second major accident this year in the French-speaking West African country, one of the three best gold producers in Africa.
Late on Saturday, Malian television announced the collapse of the site in Bilali Koto in the municipality of Dabia, with a provisional death toll of 42 and wounded a lot.
The prefect of Kéniéba, who represents the government in its place, confirmed the incident. “The death toll of 42 should be definitive,” Mohamed Dicko told The Associated Press on Sunday.
“The accident happened yesterday, Saturday. It was a landslide at a location of Chinese nationals, “said community leader Falaye Sissoko. Dicko said the authorities were still trying to determine whether the mine operated legally.
This is the second time in less than a month that such an accident has taken place in Mali. On January 29, a landslide killed several golden miners, mainly women, in the Koulikoro region in the south of the country.
In January last year, a non -regulated Golden Mine deposited near the capital, Bamako, who killed more than 70 people.
In recent years there have been worries that profit from non -regulated mining in North Mali could benefit extremists who are active in that part of the country.
“Gold is by far the most important export of Mali, consisting of more than 80% of total exports in 2021,” said the International Trade Administration of the US Department of Trade. It says that more than 2 million people, or more than 10% of the population of Mali, are dependent on the mining sector for income.
Artisanal Gold Mining is estimated to produce an estimated 30 tons of gold per year and represents 6% of the annual gold production of Mali.
