Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Mining Team has launched a rigorous crackdown on illicit mineral processing operations within a concession operated by the Nkroful Small Scale Mining Association in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.
This intervention follows a targeted compliance exercise that exposed two separate groups of illegal miners utilizing hazardous chemical leaching methods, specifically VAT and column leaching, which are strictly prohibited in the small-scale mining sector due to the severe environmental and public health threats they pose.
“Following a compliance exercise by the EPA Mining Team at a concession owned by the Nkroful Small Scale Mining Association in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, two groups of illegal miners were found engaging in unsafe and illegal mineral processing activities within the concession.”
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)
The regulatory team uncovered significant caches of prohibited substances, including eight new 50kg drums and one half-used drum of sodium cyanide.
Because sodium cyanide is a highly toxic chemical the unauthorized use of which for small-scale mining is illegal in Ghana the EPA was forced to initiate emergency evacuation protocols.
The confiscated chemicals, initially moved to Adamus Resources Mine, have since been relocated to Takoradi to ensure safe temporary storage while the agency prepares to pursue stringent legal sanctions against the operators.
The Lethal Threat to Ecosystems and Groundwater
The environmental implications of these discoveries are profound and immediate. At the second site inspected by the EPA, agents discovered that illegal miners were not only employing dangerous VAT and column leaching techniques but were also storing waste acids in unlined pits.
Such reckless disposal methods create a direct pathway for toxic substances to percolate into the subsurface environment.
As these harmful chemicals seep into the ground, they inevitably contaminate groundwater aquifers the primary water sources relied upon by residents in surrounding communities for drinking, domestic chores, and subsistence farming.
Sodium cyanide is notorious for its extreme toxicity, and even minute quantities can prove fatal to humans and wildlife.
When introduced into a watershed, it disrupts the chemical balance of both soil and water, potentially rendering land sterile and water toxic for years.
The use of unlined pits for acid storage effectively turns the mining concession into a localized source of long-term environmental poisoning, threatening to destroy the natural resources that form the backbone of the local economy.
Socio-Economic Impact on Communities
The illicit activities identified by the EPA present an existential risk to the livelihoods of people in the Ellembelle District.
Many residents in these areas depend on agriculture and clean water access for their survival. When groundwater becomes contaminated by cyanide and acid runoff, the ripple effects are immediate: crop yields decline, livestock health is compromised, and the risk of chronic health conditions among the local population skyrockets.
Strengthening Compliance and Enforcement
The EPA’s current trajectory emphasizes a zero-tolerance approach toward unauthorized chemical usage in mining. By identifying these high-risk sites, the agency is signaling a shift toward more proactive regulatory oversight in the Western Region.
Enforcement officials have indicated that the application of sanctions will be thorough, aiming to deter other illegal operators from engaging in similar practices.
The legal framework governing mining in Ghana is designed specifically to prevent such disasters, mandating that only licensed large-scale entities with proper safety infrastructure and end-user permits handle hazardous chemicals.
The EPA’s recent operations demonstrate that compliance enforcement will be continuous, as the agency attempts to regain control over landscapes currently threatened by uncontrolled galamsey operations.
Through sustained monitoring and robust intervention, the authority aims to mitigate the damage and hold accountable those who jeopardize the nation’s environmental security.
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