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Mozambique: Two illegal gold miners die in Manica
4:02 CAT | 17 Oct 2022
FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: O País]
Two illegal miners died on Thursday when a gold mine shaft collapsed on top of them in Manica district, in the central region of Mozambique.
In the same incident two other people were injured and were rushed to the Manica district hospital.
The governor of Manica province, Francisca Tomás, confirmed the incident to reporters on Friday (14), during a working visit to the Manica district.
‘They were mining gold at the bottom of the mine and part of the shaft collapsed. Two were buried alive and others were hit in some parts of the body. Two were rescued alive thanks to the rapid rescue operation. Unfortunately we lost two of our fellow citizens’, lamented Francisca Tomás.
The governor took the opportunity to urge gold miners to follow strictly all prescribed safety measures to prevent further loss of life and harm.
‘Our call is that you should extract gold in a safe manner. You should also comply with all the basic rules to prevent deaths and other losses. We urge you to carry out this activity in a safe manner.’
This is the third incident reported this year involving a collapse of mine shaft in Manica district. In the first two incidents four people lost their lives following the collapse of a mine shaft of a gold mine.
Mineral resources abound in Manica district. Most of the mining operations are carried out by illegal miners who often ignore to put in place safety measures, which in some cases results in tragic incidents, with the loss of live.
According to official estimates there are in Manica province more than 3,000 artisanal miners. Most are Mozambican nationals, but foreigners are also involved mostly Zimbabweans.
To prevent accidents, often fatal, the government has been making efforts to control and regulate this activity, training artisanal miners on the best practices.
In Manica province, most of the illegal mining operations occurs on a large scale in the districts of Manica, Báruè, Macossa and Sussundenga. Most use old techniques which cause severe pollution to the rivers. The end result is water unfit for both human and animal consumption, as well as for agricultural production.
READ: Mozambique: Life and death digging for gold in Namaíta, Nampula – Ikweli
Source: AIM
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