Forty-three people, mostly women, were killed after an artisanal gold mine collapsed in western Mali on Saturday, the head of an industry union said. The accident took place near the town of Kenieba in Mali's gold-rich Kayes region, Taoule Camara, secretary general of the National Union of Gold Counters and Refineries (UCROM), told news agency Reuters.

The women had climbed down into open-pit areas left by industrial miners to look for scraps of gold when the earth collapsed around them, he said. A mines ministry spokesperson confirmed the accident had taken place between the towns of Kenieba and Dabia, but declined to give further details as ministry teams at the scene had not yet shared their report.

"The death toll of 43 should be definitive,” Mohamed Dicko told The Associated Press on Sunday.

"The accident happened yesterday, Saturday. It was a landslide at a site run by Chinese nationals,” said community leader Falaye Sissoko. Dicko said authorities were still trying to establish whether the mine was operating legally.

Second incident in less than a month

Artisanal mining is a common activity across much of West Africa and has become more lucrative in recent years due to the growing demand for metals and rising prices. Deadly accidents are frequent as the artisanal miners often use unregulated methods.

This is the second time in less than a month that such an accident has occurred in Mali. On January 29, a landslide killed several gold miners, mostly women, in the Koulikoro region in the south of the country.

In January last year, an unregulated gold mine collapsed near the capital, Bamako, killing more than 70 people. In recent years, there have been concerns that profits from unregulated mining in northern Mali could benefit extremists active in that part of the country.

"Gold is by far Mali's most important export, comprising more than 80 per cent of total exports in 2021," according to the International Trade Administration of the US Department of Commerce. It says more than 2 million people, or more than 10 per cent of Mali's population, depend on the mining sector for income.

Artisanal gold mining is estimated to produce around 30 tonnes of gold a year and represents 6 per cent of Mali's annual gold production.

(With inputs from agencies)