At least 48 people were killed in the collapse of an illegally operated gold mine in western Mali Saturday, local sources told AFP.

"The toll at 1800 today is 48 dead following the collapse," said a local police source.

"Some of the victims fell into the water. Among them was a woman with her baby on her back."

Mali is among the world's poorest countries despite being one of Africa's leading gold producers.

Gold mining sites are regularly the scene of deadly collapses and authorities struggle to control artisanal mining of the precious metal.

Saturday's accident took place at an abandoned site formerly operated by a Chinese company, sources told AFP.