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Galamsey in Ghana

Galamsey refers to illegal small-scale gold mining in Ghana.[1] The term is derived from the English phrase "gather them and sell".[2] Historically, galamsey referred to traditional small-scale mining practices in Ghana, where local communities would gather and search for gold in rivers and streams. However, over time, the term has taken on a broader meaning, encompassing both legal and artisanal small-scale mining (ASM).[3] In Ghana, those involved in these activities are called galamseyers, and in neighbouring Francophone countries such as Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, they are often referred to as orpailleurs.[4] Ghana's widespread illegal mining activities have caused extensive destructing to the gold-rich West African country's forests.[5][6]

Background

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Galamseyers dig small working pits, tunnels, and sluices by hand. Generally, they can dig only to a limited depth, far shallower and smaller than commercial gold mining companies. Under current Ghanaian law, it is illegal for galamseyers to dig on land granted to mining companies as concessions or licenses. Most galamseyers either find gold in free metallic dust form or process oxide or sulfide gold ore using liquid mercury.[7]

The number of galamseyers in Ghana is unknown but believed to range between 20,000 and 50,000, including thousands from China.[8] The minister of information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, claimed in May 2017 that there are now 200,000 people engaged in galamsey, and according to other sources, there are nearly 3 million who rely on it for their livelihoods.[8] They mostly operate in the southern part of Ghana, where there are substantial reserves of gold deposits, usually within the environs of the larger mining companies. Galamsey settlements are usually poorer than neighboring agricultural villages. They have high rates of accidents and are exposed to mercury poisoning from their crude processing methods. Many women are among the workers, acting mostly as porters for the miners. In some cases, galamseyers are the first to discover and work extensive gold deposits before mining companies find out and take over.

Types of galamsey

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Broad galamsey categories[2] Galamsey types Key resource/material use Water relation Comments

1. Alluvial

1. Washing plant Washing plant/trommel, excavator, mercury, diesel, petrol, and lubricants Operates near water bodies and requires a high volume of clean water for operation Simultaneous mining and gold extraction
2. Washing board Washing/sluice board, excavator, mercury, diesel, petrol, and lubricants Operates near water bodies and requires a high volume of clean water for operation
3. Pit dredging Pits, suction dredge, mercury, diesel, petrol, and lubricants Operates within mini-pit lakes or mine-out pits and requires water
4. Stream/river dredging River/stream, suction dredge, mercury, diesel, petrol, and lubricants Within water bodies with adequate current
5. Dig and wash Pan, shovels, pickaxes, manual, sluice board, mercury In wetland areas, rivers/creeks/streams banks
6. Panning (poole poole)

2. Underground mining

7. Abandoned underground shafts/tunnels Shaft, blasting, dewatering, load, and haul of ore Underground/landlocked areas Mining only
8. Sample hole/pit, or "ghetto" Manually dug-out pit, blasting, dewatering, mining

3. Millhouse

9. Mill-house operation

Diesel engine (Changfa), crusher, smoothing machine, retort, mercury, hydrocarbons Landlocked areas; near the roadside, within urban centers, or near mining sites Processing only

4. Surface operation

10. Surface Diesel engine, mercury, retort, petrol, and lubricants Landlocked areas; either near or far from water bodies, but requires water for operation Simultaneous mining and gold extraction
5. Selection ("pilfering mining") 11. Selection (normally from large-scale or licit ASM sites) Manual selection, diesel engine, millhouse, mortar and pestle/sluice board Landlocked areas; either near or far from water bodies, but requires water for operation Mining only

Motives

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The main motive behind people engaging in galamsey are youth unemployment and lack of job security.[9][10] Young university graduates rarely find work, and when they do, it hardly sustains them. The result is that these youth go the extra mile to earn a living for themselves and their families.[11]

The causes of illegal gold mining include bureaucratic licensing regimes, weak legal frameworks, political and traditional leadership failures, and corrupt officials. Socioeconomic factors and the proliferation of foreign miners and mining equipment further compound the issue.[12]

Dangers

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On 13 November 2009, a collapse occurred in an illegal, privately owned mine in Dompoase, located in the Ashanti Region. The incident claimed the lives of at least 18 workers, including 13 women, who served as porters for the miners. Officials described the disaster as the worst mine collapse in Ghana at the time.[13] In April 2013, a collapse occurred in the Central Region, killing at least 17 miners.[14] However, the 2022 Bogoso explosion, linked to the transportation of mining explosives, became the most devastating mining-related disaster in the nation's history, resulting in at least 13 deaths and over 180 injuries.[15]

Environmental impact

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Illegal mining damages the land as well as water supply.[16][17] Galamsey activities have depleted Ghana's forest cover and caused water pollution, due to the crude and unregulated nature of the mining process.[18][19] In March 2017, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, gave galamseyers a three-week ultimatum to stop their activities or be prepared to face the law.[20]

Human impact

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Illegal mining has short-and long-term detrimental impacts on human health. Exposure to poisonous chemicals can lead to various cancers, mercury poisoning, silica-induced pneumoconiosis, and other respiratory conditions. In addition, stagnant water in abandoned mining pits serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can be vectors for various diseases.[21]

Stop Galamsey Now protest

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On 21 September 2024, a local organization called Democracy Hub launched a protest aimed at pressuring the government of Ghana to enforce measures to stop galamsey.[22] The action lasted three days, with protesters demanding a direct and decisive intervention from President Nana Akufo-Addo, in the form of a presidential order to stop all illegal mining activities, particularly in forest reserves and along key rivers,[23] such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim, which have all been polluted with harmful chemicals like mercury and cyanide.[24] As of September 2024, 60% of Ghana's water bodies had suffered pollution due to galamsey.[25] The illegal practice has also led to forest degradation,[26] encouraged by the passage of Legislative Instrument L.I 2462 in 2022, which permitted mining in forest reserves.[27]

The protests led to a total of 53 arrests,[28] including a 62-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl.[29][30]

Reactions

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In September 2024, China's ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, condemned illegal mining in the country and warned Chinese citizens that the embassy will not assist those caught breaking the law.[31][32] He stressed that China and Ghana both have the authority to enforce their laws on each other's citizens if they engage in illegal activities.[33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Danquah, David Yaw (26 June 2019). "Mining of Gold in Ghana Overview – Energy and Natural Resources – Ghana". Monday.com. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b Owusu-Nimo, F.; Mantey, J.; Nyarko, K. B.; Appiah-Effah, Eugene; Aubynn, A. (1 February 2018). "Spatial distribution patterns of illegal artisanal small-scale gold mining (Galamsey) operations in Ghana: A focus on the Western Region". Heliyon. 4 (2): e00534. Bibcode:2018Heliy...400534O. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00534. ISSN 2405-8440. PMC 5835009. PMID 29511743.
  3. ^ Mantey, J.; Owusu-Nimo, F.; Nyarko, K. B.; Aubynn, A. (1 January 2017). "Operational dynamics of "Galamsey" within eleven selected districts of the western region of Ghana". Journal of Mining and Environment. 8 (1): 11–34. doi:10.22044/jme.2016.627. ISSN 2251-8592.
  4. ^ "Orpailleur: Définition de orpailleur". cnrtl.fr. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Illegal mining threatens Ghana forests". Africanews. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Ghana's Illegal Galamsey Gold Mining Affecting Cocoa Farmers, Chocolate Supply". Science. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Galamsey: Ghana's illegal gold mining industry causes environmental destruction". bbc.com. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  8. ^ a b Burrows, Edward; Lucia Bird (30 May 2017). "Gold, guns and China: Ghana's fight to end galamsey". African Arguments. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  9. ^ Gracia, Zindzy (31 January 2018). "Causes and effects of galamsey in Ghana". Yen.com.gh – Ghana news. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  10. ^ Agbesi, Kelly Michael (17 May 2017). "Galamsey menace: Causes, effects, and solutions". ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  11. ^ Kpienbaareh, Daniel; Kansanga, Moses Mosonsieyiri; Konkor, Irenius; Luginaah, Isaac (7 August 2020). "The Rise of the Fourth Estate: The Media, Environmental Policy, and the Fight against Illegal Mining in Ghana". Environmental Communication. 15 (1): 69–84. doi:10.1080/17524032.2020.1799050. ISSN 1752-4032.
  12. ^ Ampaw, Enock Mintah; Chai, Junwu; Jiang, Yuguo; Dumor, Koffi; Edem, Amouzou Koffi (June 2023). "Why is Ghana losing the war against illegal gold mining (Galamsey)? An artificial neural network-based investigations". Environmental Science and Pollution Research International. 30 (29): 73730–73752. Bibcode:2023ESPR...3073730A. doi:10.1007/s11356-023-27265-x. ISSN 1614-7499. PMID 37195613.
  13. ^ "Women die in Ghana mine collapse". BBC News. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
  14. ^ Suleman, H. A.; Baffoe, P. E. (30 June 2017). "Selecting Suitable Sites for Mine Waste Dumps Using GIS Techniques at Goldfields, Damang Mine". Ghana Mining Journal. 17 (1): 9–17. doi:10.4314/gm.v17i1.2. ISSN 0855-210X.
  15. ^ "Ghana blast: Many feared dead after huge explosion near Bogoso". BBC News. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Illegal mining abound, ghost towns await – MyJoyOnline". myjoyonline.com. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  17. ^ Ansah, Marian Efe (22 March 2017). "Galamsey, pollution destroying water bodies in Ghana – Water Company". Ghana News. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  18. ^ Gyekye, Joyce. "MD of Ghana Water Company Limited says fight against galamsey is being lost". Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  19. ^ "Galamsey menace: Causes, effects and solutions". GhanaWeb. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  20. ^ Allotey, Godwin Akweiteh (29 March 2017). "Stop galamsey in 3 weeks or face the law – Amewu". Ghana News. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  21. ^ Etefe, Juliet (8 May 2023). "Time for action – galamsey is having serious effects on our environment, and communities". The Business & Financial Times. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Three-day street protest against galamsey: when will the Catholic Church join the fight?". Catholic Trends. 21 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  23. ^ Moro, Salifu Bagulube (21 September 2024). ""End Galamsey now": Ghanaians hit the streets to protest against illegal mining". Yen.com.gh. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  24. ^ Mensah, Kent (17 September 2024). "Dying rivers, dying hopes: Human cost of illegal mining devastating Ghana's future". The Africa Report. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  25. ^ "60% of Ghana Water Bodies Polluted by Galamsey". DailyGuide Network. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Illegal small-scale mining threatens Ghana's forest reserves". voaafrica.com. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  27. ^ "Galamsey: LI 2462 one of Ghana's backward legislations ever – Mine workers union". 12 September 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Day two of 'Say No to Galamsey demo ends with dozens arrested – MyJoyOnline". myjoyonline.com. 22 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  29. ^ "Scores of people arrested as scuffle ensues between Democracy Hub protesters and police – MyJoyOnline". myjoyonline.com. 22 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  30. ^ Eghan, Sammy Danso (22 September 2024). "Ghana Police arrest 62-year-old and 10-year-old protesters in anti-galamsey demo". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  31. ^ Olander, Eric (19 September 2024). "[WEEK IN REVIEW] Illegal Chinese Miners in Ghana Have Been Warned". The China-Global South Project. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  32. ^ GTonline (16 September 2024). "Combatting illegal mining: Stay away from galamsey!! ...Chinese Ambassador admonishes compatriots". Ghanaian Times. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  33. ^ GhanaWeb (15 September 2024). "Punish Chinese illegal miners caught abusing Ghanaian laws – Chinese Ambassador Tong Defa".
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