Tragedy struck in Chingola, Zambia, on December 3, 2023, when a collapse at an open-pit copper mine resulted in the de_ths of eight miners, with one additional miner still missing and two others managing to survive.
The victims, who were not official employees of the mining company, were part of an unauthorized group searching for copper, a situation that highlights the prevalent issue of informal mining in Zambia.
Provincial police commissioner Peacewell Mweemba confirmed that six of the deceased miners were from the same family, underscoring the personal tragedy of the incident.
This is not an isolated event; just this month, ten informal miners lost their lives in a similar collapse in Mumbwa, and this August, another nine died at a quarry near Lusaka.
The dangers faced by informal miners have been exacerbated by recent heavy rains, which led to landslides that buried more than 30 miners last December in Chingola itself.
President Hakainde Hichilema has labeled the frequency of such accidents as “unacceptable,” calling for better safety measures.
As Zambia continues to grapple with the issues of illegal mining operations, the risks these miners face remain stark and often d3adly.
The loss of life in these accidents not only reflects the dangers associated with mining but also the socioeconomic challenges that drive individuals to engage in unauthorized mining activities.
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