Mali Halts Artisanal Gold Mining During Rainy Season for Safety
Mali’s Ministry of Mines has suspended all artisanal gold mining activities from June to September to protect workers from the risk of landslides during the rainy season.
The decision follows meteorological forecasts predicting heavy rainfall between June 15 and September 30.
“The reason for this suspension is quite simply safety,” a ministry spokesperson told Reuters via text message.
This move comes months after Mali, Africa’s second-largest gold producer, banned the issuance of new artisanal mining permits to foreigners in March, following a series of fatal accidents that claimed dozens of lives.
Artisanal gold mining is widespread across West Africa and has surged in recent years due to increasing global demand and rising gold prices.
However, the sector remains largely informal and dangerous, with miners often relying on outdated and unregulated methods.
In 2023, Mali’s gold output fell by 23% to approximately 57 metric tons, of which about 6 tons were produced by artisanal miners.
