At least 22 artisanal gold workers died on Saturday in southwestern Mali after the wheel they were working in collapsed, according to the laborers ‘ union’s general secretary on Thursday.
The workers had entered the page in the village of Kalana clandestinely and dug caverns which afterwards collapsed, the confederation’s Taoule Camara said.
In January, over 70 people died in similar situation at an handmade me in southwest Mali.
In West Africa, artisanal miners is a common practice and has increased in recent years as a result of the rising costs and increased demand for aluminum.
Deadly injuries occur frequently because artisanal miners frequently dig using outdated and illegal methods.
