A gold mine collapse in eastern Mali has claimed 42 lives, marking the second major mining disaster in less than a month. Officials confirmed the Friday landslide at the Bilali Koto site—operated by Chinese nationals—left dozens injured and triggered urgent calls to address Mali’s unregulated artisanal mining crisis.
Authorities are investigating whether the mine operated legally, according to Kéniéba prefect Mohamed Dicko.
The death toll should be definitive,he stated, while local leader Falaye Sissoko attributed the collapse to unstable excavation practices common in informal mining zones.
Mali’s mining sector, which contributes over 80% of national exports, faces mounting scrutiny:
- Gold exports topped $4.7 billion in 2021 (U.S. Department of Commerce)
- 2+ million Malians rely on mining for income
- Unregulated sites produce 30 tons of gold annually
This tragedy follows a January landslide in Koulikoro that killed dozens of miners and a 2023 Bamako collapse claiming 70+ lives. Analysts warn profit-driven expansion and lax oversight fuel risks across Africa’s third-largest gold producer.
Mali’s government faces dual pressures: curbing extremists’ potential ties to northern mining revenue while safeguarding 10% of the population dependent on the sector. With gold prices soaring, artisanal sites often bypass safety protocols—a pattern experts say demands international intervention.