Mining by artisans in Burkina Faso has been banned by authorities in an attempt to protect lives and environment.
Small-scale mining is popular in the West Africa nation but unregulated mining has also led to deaths.
Mining sites have in the past collapsed especially during raining seasons with several miners buried underground.
The ban will be in place for next four months. It should prevent more deaths, according to officials.
Warning signals
More than four people died last week when mine site collapsed due to heavy rains.
Burkinabe officials have warned to sanction persons who refuse to close their mines.
Artisanal mining mainly focused on gold is what many people in West Africa rely on for a living.
In neighboring Ghana, the government has deployed hundreds security to mining sites to prevent small scale mining.
Ghana is struggling to deal with the menace for years. Its water bodies and environment have been destroyed by small scale mining.
Source: Africafeeds.com
