More than 70 people in Mali are dead following the collapse of an unregulated mine late last week.
The Associated Press reports that the search continues, but authorities fear the death toll will continue to rise. Karim Berthe, a senior official at the National Geology and Mining Directorate in Mali, confirmed the details of the accident.
The cause of the accident is not known at this time. The disaster happened in the Kangaba district in the southwest region of Koulikoro.
Mali is Africa's third-largest gold producer and such accidents are reportedly common. So-called artisanal mines are small, informal minds that often skirt safety concerns. This is particularly so in remote areas.
The Ministry of Mines statement urged artisanal miners to comply with safety regulations and that it deeply regretted the catastrophe.
Gold comprises 80% of total exports for Mali in 2021, according to the International Trade Administration with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Roughly 10% of the population, or two million people, depend on mining to make a living. "The state must bring order to this artisanal mining sector to avoid these kinds of accidents in the future," Berthé said.
Three years ago the AP reported that fighters and extremists allied with Al-Qaeda were skimming profits from the artisanal mining sector. The coalition of Tuareg rebels known as the CMA controls the Kidal region. Its leaders oversee the gold-panning activities.
"It cannot be excluded that individuals belonging to terrorist groups - in this case, the JNIM - in the area play a role not only in securing the sites but in the collection of taxes, too," said Ibrahim Maiga, a researcher with the Institute for Security Studies in Mali's capital, Bamako.
That year, a United Nations panel reported that the CMA was receiving incoming from vehicle checkpoints as well as taxation related to several mining operations.
