Introduction Around the world, numerous countries face similar challenges related to unregulated artisanal and small-scale mining operations. These small-scale mining operations, most of which are carried out without legal authorization, support the livelihoods of many Ghanaians, especially in rural regions where official employment opportunities are limited (Kumah, 2022). Galamsey, derived from the local Ghanaian jargon “gather-am-and-sell,” is an informal term used in Ghana for unregulated, small-scale artisanal gold mining. This illegal activity involves untrained people digging up the earth and filtering soil and water using rudimentary tools to extract gold. This is usually done using inappropriate techniques, materials and machinery such as tractors, excavators and mills (locally known as chamfan) to clear the forest and vegetation, which penetrates deep into the soil and damages the soil structure. The Galamsey industry contributes significantly to Ghana’s gold production, making the country one of the world’s largest gold producers (Crawford & Botchwey, 2016). The revenue generated in this sector, although unregulated, has a noticeable impact on the national economy (Gilbert & Albert, 2016). The gold mined in Galamsey is processed in the open by untrained and poorly equipped workers using toxic substances such as mercury and cyanide considered mining pollutants. These operations are spread across the country and are concentrated in mineral-rich regions such as Western, Ashanti and Eastern Ghana. Galamsey activities result in land degradation, soil erosion, human-wildlife conflict, water pollution, improper waste disposal and various types of damage. Ghana’s small-scale mining sector is second only to agriculture in its ability to create jobs and stimulate the economy (Washington, DC: World Bank, January 23, 2019). Approximately one million people work directly in this sector and approximately four million work in services dependent on artisanal small-scale mining (Gavin, 2016). The method of gold extraction presents various challenges due to the unsuitable method and their consequences on the environment. In today’s post, I will show you the negative impact of illegal mining activities on mankind. Let’s dive right in. Environmental Impact In recent years, the environmental impact of illegal, small-scale gold mining has become a growing problem worldwide. This involves the extraction of gold deposits using rudimentary methods, which often result in significant ecological damage and the release of toxic substances into the environment. For example, countries such as Brazil (Bruno et al., 2020; Lobo et al., 2016), Colombia, Indonesia (Bruno et al., 2020) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Geenen, 2012; Hayes & Perks, 2012; Otamonga & Poté, 2020) have addressed the negative environmental consequences of informal mining activities. These regions share characteristics with Ghana, including the prevalence of galamsey-like practices, limited government oversight, and inadequate enforcement of environmental regulations. It leads to deforestation, habitat destruction, water pollution, land degradation and biodiversity loss, all of which negatively impact Ghana’s natural resources (Dwomoh et al., 2023). Environmental changes across temporal and spatial gradients are critical components of an ecosystem approach to insect ecology. Insects respond strongly to environmental changes, including those resulting from anthropogenic activities. Many insects have a significant ability to disperse over long distances, allowing them to find and colonize isolated resources as they emerge. Other insects are flightless and therefore vulnerable to environmental changes or habitat fragmentation. Because of their small size, short lifespan, and high reproductive rate, the abundance of many species can change by several orders of magnitude on a seasonal or annual time scale, minimizing time lags between environmental changes and population adaptation to new conditions. The literature on the environmental impacts of mining is well documented and includes numerous environmental impacts in the form of waste management, impacts on biodiversity and habitat, deforestation of land resulting in the removal of vegetation, pollution (water, air, land and even noise) etc. Anthropogenic changes in the environment affect insects in various ways. The burning of fossil fuels using mining equipment has increased atmospheric concentrations of CO2, methane, ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, leading to increasingly acidic precipitation and the prospect of global warming. Acid rain is caused by the release of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide from mines over time, polluting the environment. Carbon dioxide and methane released from the burning of fossil fuels from these mines produce greenhouse gases, which could lead to climate change.   Petrochemical leaks and spills are toxic to most organisms and prevent oxygen exchange between aquatic ecosystems and the atmosphere. Some insect species exhibit high mortality as a direct result of toxicants in the air or water, while other species are indirectly affected by changes in resource conditions caused by atmospheric changes (Couceiro et al. 2007).  In addition to the threat that mining poses to biodiversity, the removal of forest cover leads to the rapid drying up of rivers and streams, leading to the extinction of river-dwelling species, tropical rainforest and plant species. Many communities even complain that snails, mushrooms, medicinal plants, etc. are no longer available in the mining areas, partly due to mining activities (World Rainforest Movement, 2004, p. 44). In addition, major environmental problems have resulted in most mining communities in Ghana experiencing vegetation clearing and land excavation, waste disposal, mineral processing and misuse of mining chemicals, resulting in a decline in clean drinking water for people, deterioration in air quality, and loss of ecological biodiversity. Deforestation and forest degradation are two major concerns for conservation and sustainable forest management in Ghana. Despite programs to protect forest resources and achieve sustainable development, Ghana’s forest resources continue to be exploited, resulting in water pollution in rivers (Pra, Oti, Offin and Ankobra). Agricultural expansion, logging (legal and illegal), urban expansion, infrastructure development and mining are the main causes of deforestation and forest degradation. This has resulted in Ghana’s formal forestry sector, estimated at 9.17 million hectares in 1995, shrinking to 5,768,678 hectares in 2017. In view of this decline, successive governments have taken numerous measures to improve the management of forest resources in Ghana to improve it. Effect of illegal mining on water bodies Galamsey operators excavate riverbeds for alluvium. The obtained soil is washed to reveal nuggets of raw gold in a process that turns streams and rivers muddy and high-turbidity water bodies unfit for aquatic life. The indiscriminate use of mercury (Hg) and cyanide for gold smelting by these illegal miners is also a matter of concern as the use of this important element is neither controlled nor regulated. Local populations around galamsey sites face health risks due to water pollution from mining activities, affecting drinking water supplies and agriculture (Ayamba et al., 2017). Galamsey operators mostly operate near water bodies that serve as a water source for their operations. Nowadays, important major rivers such as Pra, Birim, Offin etc are highly polluted due to galamsey activities Oladejo & Adetunde, 2012). There are four main types of mining impacts on water quality: acid mine drainage, heavy metal contamination and leaching, chemical pollution from processing, and erosion and sedimentation. Pollution of soil and water by mercury, sludge and other chemicals, destruction of farms and croplands, degradation of land and vegetation, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, encroachment on forest and wildlife reserves and other illegal mining are the major effects of mining. The Atewa Forest Reserve, which protects the headwaters of the Birim and Densu rivers, is also threatened by mining activities in the region. The use of advanced technology has also polluted the remaining agricultural lands and nearby rivers with dust, cyanide and mercury. Major rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra and Birim, which are important for water supplies in western and eastern Ghana, have been polluted by mining wastewater (Juliane, 2014). This pollution has affected agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of people dependent on agriculture. Effect of illegal mining on health Miners suffer from significant workplace health risks, including exposure to hazardous compounds such as mercury and cyanide used in gold extraction, which can lead to a variety of health problems (Baddianaah et al., 2022). Mental health problems among miners resulting from harsh working conditions and job insecurity are also common (Ofei-Aboagye et al., 2004). There are numerous health problems such as malaria, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis and other skin diseases caused by illegal mining activities (World Rainforest Movement, 2004). Traces of mercury leach into soil and waterways, threatening the already poor communities that rely on these resources. According to WHO (1980), mercury exposure can cause kidney failure and damage, nausea, pain and diarrhoea and can also affect the brain and nervous system. Therefore, there is a need to regulate the activities of these illegal miners to prevent further damage to the environment and people’s lives. The adverse environmental impacts associated with unregulated mining activities include wastewater attenuation, unrehabilitated excavations, improperly stored waste, dust emissions, deforestation, acid mining, river siltation, and the release of chemicals such as cyanide and mercury. Conclusion It was found that illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) requires adequate planning and anticipation of possible impacts on land degradation, water and air pollution, diversion of water bodies, damage to farms and farmhouses, etc. Forests play an important role in Ghana’s economic development and the lives of Ghanaians, especially rural residents. Which of the consequences of illegal artisanal mining (Galamsey) on human lives would you rank first?

1. On food security
2. On safe drinking water
3. On biodiversity
4. Health-related issues

  Leave a comment Share on social media.