A new government-backed study has revealed alarming levels of toxic contamination in Ghana’s mining regions, raising serious concerns over public health, environmental degradation, and the long-term sustainability of one of the country’s most vital industries.
The joint study by the environmental group Pure Earth and Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority found mercury and arsenic concentrations in soil, water, and crops that are dangerously above international safety limits. In some areas, mercury levels reached 134 times the safe threshold set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
These findings underscore a growing crisis: Ghana’s booming artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector—locally known as galamsey—is releasing a toxic cocktail of heavy metals into communities and ecosystems.
Surging global bullion prices have driven rapid growth in Ghana’s small-scale mining sector. In the first eight months of this year alone, artisanal miners exported nearly 67 metric tons of gold worth $6.3 billion—already surpassing last year’s total.
But this economic windfall hides a darker reality. The use of mercury amalgamation, a crude process to extract gold, contaminates soil, rivers, and air. Once vaporized, mercury settles back into the environment, where it enters the food chain through crops and fish.
In the town of Konongo Zongo, mercury levels averaged 56.4 parts per million (ppm), far above the WHO’s 10 ppm guideline. In some locations, readings soared as high as 1,342 ppm. Even more concerning, arsenic concentrations reached 10,060 ppm—a staggering 4,000% above safety standards.
A Brewing Public Health Emergency
Doctors and child health advocates in Ghana are already witnessing the human toll. “We’re seeing more children from mining areas with kidney disorders—some are now on dialysis,” said Anthony Enimil, a member of the Ghana Pediatric Society. X-rays, he added, even show mercury pellets inside the bodies of children who accidentally ingested the toxic metal.
The WHO has long warned that chronic exposure to mercury and arsenic can cause kidney failure, skin lesions, and cancer, as well as severe neurological damage, particularly in children and pregnant women. The study described this as a “serious health hazard requiring immediate intervention.”
The contamination extends far beyond human health. Rivers that once supported fishing and farming are now choked with polluted runoff, while farmland fertility is declining as toxic sediments accumulate.
Local environmental groups, such as A Rocha Ghana, note that pollution from unregulated mining is now widespread across all 13 of Ghana’s mining regions. Once-lush ecosystems are being transformed into wastelands, threatening biodiversity and food security for nearby communities.
Authorities have attempted to curb illegal mining and promote safer alternatives. The government has banned mercury use in gold extraction and encouraged miners to adopt cleaner technologies, such as the Gold Kacha concentrator, which reduces environmental damage.
However, enforcement remains inconsistent. Despite President John Dramani Mahama’s pledge to crack down on illegal operations and the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board to oversee the sector, critics argue that progress has been slow. Public protests continue to demand stronger government action.
The report concludes that mercury and arsenic exposure is no longer a localized issue—it is a national crisis that requires immediate policy intervention, medical response, and environmental rehabilitation.
Without decisive action, Ghana’s pursuit of gold risks becoming a trade-off between economic gain and human survival. The challenge ahead is to transform the mining industry into one that no longer sacrifices public health and environmental integrity for short-term profit.
