In a bid to safeguard lives as torrential rains approach, Mali has suspended all artisanal gold mining activities from June through September 2025. The Ministry of Mines announced on Tuesday, June 3 that the measure follows forecasts by meteorological services predicting intense rainfall from mid-June to the end of September – a pattern known to trigger deadly landslides, particularly in unregulated mining zones. The ministry stressed that the suspension is rooted in one overriding concern: “Safety.”
This seasonal halt comes just months after the government took a separate action in March, banning the issuance of new artisanal mining permits to foreign nationals. That decision followed a string of fatal accidents that claimed dozens of lives, underscoring the perilous conditions under which many artisanal miners operate. Despite its dangers, artisanal mining has grown increasingly common in Mali and across West Africa, spurred by soaring global gold prices and limited economic alternatives for rural populations.
While Mali remains Africa’s second-largest gold producer, the sector has recently been rattled by declining output and tragic incidents. Last year, national gold production dropped by 23%, with artisanal miners contributing approximately 6 of the total 57 metric tonnes. As the government attempts to mitigate further loss of life during the rainy season, the suspension sends a clear signal: public safety now outweighs the short-term economic gains of artisanal extraction.