A government-backed study has found that artisanal gold mining in Ghana has driven mercury contamination in host communities to dangerous levels, with soil samples in some areas recording up to 134 times the safe limit.
The report, released by New York-based environmental group Pure Earth in collaboration with Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority, is based on a year-long sampling of soil, water, crops, and fish across six of Ghana’s 13 mining regions.
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Researchers recorded mercury levels in soil at Konongo Zongo averaging 56.4 parts per million (ppm), well above the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) safety threshold of 10 ppm. Peak readings in the locality reached 1,342 ppm during the research period. Arsenic levels were also severe, with concentrations hitting 10,060 ppm, more than 4,000% above WHO guidelines.
“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 warned when it was presented to environmentalists and government officials at a meeting in Accra on September 18.
According to the WHO, high arsenic exposure can cause skin damage, kidney failure, and increase the risk of lung, bladder, and skin cancers through contaminated water and food.
Health professionals say the consequences are already evident. Anthony Enimil, a member of the Ghana Pediatric Society, reported that more children from mining communities are developing kidney disorders, with some now on dialysis. “X-rays show mercury pellets in their bodies after accidental ingestion,” he said.
The surge in bullion prices has contributed to rapid growth in Ghana’s artisanal mining sector, which remains poorly regulated. The sector exported 66.7 metric tons of gold in the first eight months of 2025, worth $6.3 billion, compared with 53.8 tons for the whole of 2024. Despite government efforts to separate regulated mining from illegal activity, gold flows often overlap, complicating enforcement.
Godwin Armah, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners, acknowledged that mercury pollution is a problem but said steps are being taken to reduce it. “We have banned the use of mercury in gold amalgamation and now use the Gold Kacha (concentrator) as a safer alternative. We are also stepping up sensitisation,” he explained.
Toxic pollution from artisanal and small-scale mining is present across all 13 mining regions, according to environmentalists, including Accra-based group A Rocha Ghana.
President John Dramani Mahama has promised a crackdown on unregulated mining and established the Ghana Gold Board to oversee the sector. However, critics say progress has been slow, and Ghanaians have staged protests demanding stronger action against illegal mining.
Ghana government spokesperson did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
