Keypoints:
- Soil mercury 134 times WHO safety level
- Arsenic pollution 4,000 percent above limit
- Mahama vows crackdown on illegal mining
A GOVERNMENT-BACKED study has warned that mercury contamination in Ghana’s artisanal gold mining communities has soared to dangerous levels, with soil samples in some areas registering 134 times above internationally recognised safety thresholds.
The year-long research, led by New York-based environmental group Pure Earth and Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, analysed soil, water, crops and fish across six of Ghana’s 13 mining regions. Their findings show mercury and arsenic pollution at levels that pose severe health risks to residents.
Gold rush drives unsafe practices
Ghana’s poorly regulated small-scale mining sector has expanded rapidly, fuelled by high bullion prices. According to the study, the country exported 66.7 metric tons of gold worth an estimated $6.3bn in the first eight months of 2025, up sharply from 53.8 tons for all of 2024.
Despite efforts to separate legal operations from illicit mining, researchers say the flow of gold often overlaps, complicating enforcement. Mercury readings in Konongo Zongo averaged 56.4 parts per million (ppm), far exceeding the World Health Organization’s 10 ppm safety threshold, while peak measurements reached 1,342 ppm. Arsenic levels topped 10,060 ppm—more than 4,000 percent above WHO guidelines.
Severe health consequences
‘The cumulative exposure to this cocktail of toxic metals through ingestion, inhalation and skin contact is a serious health hazard requiring immediate intervention,’ the report stated at its release in Accra on September 18.
Medical professionals say the impact is already visible. ‘We’re seeing more children from mining areas with kidney disorders—some are now on dialysis,’ said Anthony Enimil of the Ghana Pediatric Society. ‘X-rays show mercury pellets in their bodies after accidental ingestion.’
Officials under pressure
A government spokesperson declined to comment when contacted. But Godwin Armah, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, said efforts to curb mercury use are underway. ‘We have banned mercury in gold amalgamation and now use the Gold Kacha concentrator as a safer alternative. We are also stepping up sensitisation,’ he noted.
Environmental groups including Accra-based A Rocha Ghana report that toxic pollution from unregulated mining persists across all 13 mining regions. President John Dramani Mahama has pledged a crackdown on illegal operations and set up the Ghana Gold Board to improve oversight, though critics argue progress remains slow.
The study underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to protect communities and ecosystems from Ghana’s escalating gold rush.
