A jade mine slag heap collapsed in northern Burma on Friday, killing at least 14 people, rescue officials said, the latest in a series of disasters to hit the largely unregulated gems industry.

Sagaing divisional authorities are undertaking a four-step plan to prevent violent confrontations between licensed mining companies and so-called “freelance” jade scavengers at the Khamti jade mines after an altercation two days ago saw four scavengers shot dead by law enforcement personnel.

Two jade scavengers were killed and another injured at yet another deadly landslide at Hpakant's mines.

The victim of the shooting told DVB that the mining company previously had no issue with freelancers scavenging at its worksite, but things went sour on Saturday.

The two men had been sifting through debris on the site, searching for leftover fragments of jade, when a landslide buried them under rubble.

The protestors issued a list of six points, including a demand to permit day-labourers forage freely through mounds of soil dumped by mining companies.