Mali Gold Mine Accident Kills 13, Including Women and Children
Thirteen artisanal miners, including women and three children, lost their lives on Wednesday after a tunnel they were working in flooded at an open-pit gold mine near Danga village in Mali’s southwestern Koulikoro region, the National Union of Gold Counters and Refineries (UCROM) confirmed on Saturday.
The disaster occurred when sluice gates from a nearby muddy water reservoir collapsed, sending a surge of water into the tunnel where miners, including women and children, were digging for leftover gold particles.
UCROM Secretary General Taoule Camara described the situation as dire.
“It is serious. There were many women. .
We spent all day clearing away water before we could begin recovering the bodies,” he said, speaking earlier in the week when the full death toll was still unknown.
Artisanal mining is widespread across West Africa and has grown more lucrative due to rising global demand for metals. However, fatal accidents remain common as many miners operate without proper safety measures or regulatory oversight.
The latest incident is not an isolated case. In January last year, a shaft collapse at an artisanal gold mining site in Kangaba Cercle claimed more than 70 lives.
As the demand for gold continues to drive unregulated mining, the risks facing artisanal miners—especially women and children—remain alarmingly high.
