At least 14 workers have been killed and 10 others injured when an illegal gold mine collapsed in western Burkina Faso, an official says.
The cave-in happened at around 1 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) on Sunday as miners were using dynamite inside an 80-meter (260-foot) deep mineshaft located in the town of Bagassi, just southwest of the capital Ouagadougou, said district administrator Tingande Nehemi Zoundi on Wednesday.
“Just after that dynamiting, a rock situated two meters below ground level became detached. All the people situated at the level below were struck,” the administrator said.
It took 17 hours for Emergency personnel to recover the bodies, all of whom are buried now, Zoundi added.
Interior Ministry official Sadou Sidibe blamed the accident on “anarchic” mining practices -- usually carried out by miners who work at unregulated mines and often with no protection.
The Burkina Faso government has prohibited artisanal mining during June to September -- the wet months -- but experts say officials do not have the means to enforce the ban.
The Bagassi site has been illegally mined for 17 years, with Canada-based miner Roxgold tasked with chasing out illegal miners while awaiting a mining permit.
Illegal and informal mining accidents are widespread during the rainy season throughout West Africa, where gold deposits can be found.
Thursday 5 December 2013
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/12/04/338268/14-killed-in-burkina-faso-mine-accident/
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