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A surge in artisanal gold mining fueled by booming bullion prices is driving dangerous levels of mercury and arsenic contamination in Ghanaian communities, according to a stark new government-backed study.
The joint report by the New York-based environmental group Pure Earth and the Ghana Environmental Protection Authority found soil readings in some mining areas reached a staggering 134 times the internationally recognized safety limits for mercury.
The explosive growth of the small-scale mining sector—which exported $6.3 billion worth of gold in the first eight months of this year, already outpacing 53.8 tonnes shipped in all of 2024—has created a severe public health crisis.
Contamination Exceeds WHO Limits
Researchers sampled soil, water, crops, and fish across six of Ghana’s 13 mining regions. The findings revealed alarming concentrations, particularly in the Konongo Zongo locality:
- Mercury: Average soil readings were 56.4 parts per million (ppm), significantly above the World Health Organization (WHO) safety threshold of 10 ppm. Peak readings during the study hit an extraordinary 1,342 ppm.
- Arsenic: Levels reached 10,060 ppm, exceeding WHO guidelines by more than 4,000%.
The report, released at a meeting in Accra on September 18, warned that the “cumulative exposure to this cocktail of toxic metals through multiple pathways—ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact—is a serious health hazard requiring immediate intervention.” High arsenic exposure is linked to severe health risks, including skin damage, kidney failure, and increased risk of various cancers.
Anthony Enimil of Ghana’s Pediatric Society noted that the health consequences of this contamination may already be visible in affected communities.
Government and Industry Response
President John Dramani Mahama has promised a crackdown on unregulated mining and established the Ghana Gold Board to enhance oversight of the sector.
The industry acknowledges the pollution problem but suggests that remediation will be a long process. Godwin Armah, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, stated that the use of mercury for gold amalgamation has been banned, citing the Gold Kacha concentrator as a safer alternative for miners.
“We have banned the use of mercury… We are also stepping up sensitisation,” Armah said, referencing the simple device used by artisanal miners to separate gold.
