MALI has temporarily halted all artisanal gold mining operations during the upcoming rainy season to safeguard workers from potentially fatal landslides, said Reuters citing the country’s mines ministry on Tuesday.The suspension will remain in effect from June to September, coinciding with the period when meteorological services have forecast 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, emphasising the government’s commitment to protecting miners from the heightened risks posed by the seasonal weather conditions.The decision comes three months after Mali’s government imposed restrictions on new artisanal mining permits for foreign nationals, following a series of deadly accidents that claimed dozens of lives in March.Artisanal mining has become increasingly prevalent across West Africa in recent years, driven by surging demand for precious metals and rising gold prices. However, the practice frequently results in tragic accidents due to miners’ reliance on outdated and unregulated extraction methods.The suspension represents a significant intervention in Mali’s mining sector, particularly given the country’s status as Africa’s second-largest gold producer. Last year, Mali’s gold production fell by 23% to approximately 57 tons, with artisanal miners contributing around six tons to the total output.The seasonal ban underscores the ongoing tension between economic opportunities and worker safety in Mali’s mining industry, as authorities seek to balance the sector’s contribution to the national economy with the need to protect vulnerable workers from preventable deaths, said Reuters.The post Mali suspends artisanal gold mining as rains fall appeared first on Miningmx.
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