By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Ghana report raises alarm over toxic chemical levels from mining
A government-backed study has revealed that artisanal gold mining in Ghana has caused dangerous levels of mercury and other toxic chemicals in several mining communities.
The year-long study, carried out by New York-based environmental group Pure Earth in partnership with Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, tested soil, water, crops and fish across six of the country’s 13 mining regions.
Findings showed mercury in soil samples at Konongo Zongo averaging 56.4 parts per million (ppm), far above the World Health Organization’s safe limit of 10 ppm.
In some cases, readings peaked at 1,342 ppm — more than 130 times higher than acceptable levels. Arsenic was also detected at extreme levels, reaching 10,060 ppm, over 40 times the WHO guideline.
Health experts warn that prolonged exposure to these chemicals can damage the skin, kidneys, and increase the risk of cancers of the lungs, bladder, and skin.
“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,” the report noted during its release in Accra on September 18.
Anthony Enimil of the Ghana Pediatric Society said symptoms of chemical poisoning are already becoming visible in some local communities.
Despite a government ban on mercury use in gold processing, many artisanal miners still rely on it. However, the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners said efforts are underway to encourage safer methods such as the “Gold Kacha” concentrator, a device that extracts gold without mercury.
Ghana President John Dramani Mahama has vowed to intensify the clampdown on illegal mining while the newly established Ghana Gold Board has been tasked with tightening regulation of the sector.
Gold exports from artisanal mining remain a huge part of the economy, with 66.7 metric tonnes exported in the first eight months of 2025, worth $6.3 billion. That is already higher than the total for 2024, which stood at 53.8 tonnes.
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