Key Points
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Ghana mining study shows mercury levels far above WHO safety limits.
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Arsenic exposure from artisanal gold mining raises cancer and kidney risks.
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Health experts report children in mining areas suffering kidney failure.
A surge in small-scale gold mining in Ghana is driving mercury contamination to alarming levels. A new study shows that soil in some mining communities contains up to 134 times more mercury than safe limits.
The report, carried out by the environmental group Pure Earth and Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, followed one year of testing. Samples were taken from soil, water, crops and fish in six of Ghana’s 13 mining regions.
Gold prices have fueled rapid growth in artisanal mining. The poorly regulated sector exported 66.7 metric tons in the first eight months of 2025, worth $6.3 billion. That compares with 53.8 tons for all of 2024.
Despite attempts to separate licensed miners from illegal operators, overlaps remain. This has made enforcement difficult and allowed risky practices to spread.
Health risks from toxic exposure grow
Researchers found mercury levels in soil at Konongo Zongo averaging 56.4 parts per million (ppm). The World Health Organization sets 10 ppm as the safety limit. Peak readings in the area reached 1,342 ppm.
Arsenic levels were even higher. Samples recorded 10,060 ppm — more than 4,000 percent above WHO guidelines. High arsenic exposure can cause skin damage, kidney failure, and cancer.
“The cumulative exposure through water, food, air and skin contact is a serious health hazard requiring immediate intervention,” the report said.
Health workers already see the effects. Dr. Anthony Enimil, a pediatrician, said more children in mining areas are showing kidney problems.
Some now require dialysis, while X-rays reveal mercury pellets in their bodies from accidental ingestion.
Calls for action on mining pollution
The study has sparked calls for urgent reforms. Ghana’s government has banned mercury in gold processing, promoting alternatives such as the Gold Kacha concentrator.
“We are also stepping up sensitisation among small-scale miners,” said Godwin Armah, head of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners.
Still, environmental groups argue that toxic pollution remains widespread across all 13 mining regions. A Rocha Ghana and other activists warn that the problem threatens both public health and food security.
President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to crack down on illegal mining and set up the Ghana Gold Board to regulate the sector. Critics, however, say progress is slow, and many communities are demanding faster action.
