Galamsey — the existential threat of our generation

Today, making money is very simple. But making sustainable money while being responsible to society and improving the world is very difficult- JACK MA, FOUNDER OF ALIBABA.

Today, we in Ghana are confronted with the wanton destruction of our environment due to galamsey (illegal mining). The perpetrators of this crime are a small fraction of the population.  

This menace is creating environmental degradation and unfortunately polarisation in our society. Adam in Hebrew is “Adamah”, from earth. We came from Earth and we return to Earth.

Therefore, adequate protection of the earth is core to our spiritual existence. 

Companies and businesses must solve problems to make a profit. Any business such as galamsey (illegal mining) that destroys the environment to maximise profit is unethical businesses.

The excerpts below are from annual reports of the Geological Survey Department in the Gold Coast Era in the 1900s:

Geological Survey Department excerpts

Probably the first authentic record of the export of Gold from the Gold Coast dates back to 1471, when the Portuguese landed at Elmina, opened up mines nearby and established a trade in gold dust.

From this date until 1871, the winning of gold was almost entirely in the hands of Africans.

Estimates of the amount of gold shipped to Europe between 1471 and 1877 vary widely and are obviously unreliable. From 1858 to 1875, declared exports of gold from British possessions in West Africa were recorded as 187,000 pounds, which is an average of about 10,000 pounds a year.

In addition, a large amount of the gold was won, used and hoarded by the Chiefs and their people.

The year 1878 witnessed the commencement of European mining on the Banker reefs at Tarkwa, and in 1882, there were four companies in operation. From this time until about 1897, European mining was practically confined to the Tarkwa goldfield, although several reef prospects in the coastal region of the Western province were also explored to shallow depths.

The gold-quartz mines of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, Prestea (Ariston), Brumasi and Bibiani, which together have produced more than half the gold won from the Gold Coast during the past 30 years, were opened up during the period 1897-1914, and hundreds of other prospects were examined and some of them developed to shallow depths.

During the same period, and even until 1920, portions of the Ankobra, Fura, Ofin, Birim and Pra rivers were dredged. Approximately 650000 pounds of gold were won, but the recovery, which averaged between 2 and 4 grains per cubic yard, was disappointingly low and costs were high.

One of the reasons for the low recovery is that a large proportion of the alluvial gold in these rivers is so finely divided that it is difficult to recover. The gold-saving appliances on the dredges were also inefficient, and it is said that “whole villages along the river banks used to turn out and wash the dredge tailings with considerable profit”

In 1901 the output of gold from the Gold Coast fell to 22,187 pounds, the lowest figure recorded in the past 40 years. By 1903 the output had risen to 254790 pounds and for the year 1914 to 1,744,500 pounds, the peak production to the present date.

Although one cannot but admire the pioneering work done under great difficulties by the many small syndicates and companies in the Gold Coast, one is forced to the conclusion that the chances were, and still are, all against them.

If these numerous gold prospects are to be thoroughly investigated it is my opinion that the work can only be effectively done by enterprising, large, well-financed companies experienced in the opening up of mining properties in the tropics.

From the annual reports, clearly, gold mining is one oldest businesses in Ghana, dating back to the 1400s. How come we have not been able to develop sustainable mining practices that protect our environment? 

Alluvial gold

This issue should be approached from a national perspective, to safeguard our environment. It can be seen that gold dredging in our rivers is not new.

Alluvial gold in our rivers is finely divided and difficult to recover. The report also mentions that the cost is very high to mine in our waterbodies. 

This implies it is not cost-effective to mine in these rivers. However, more than 100 years after this recommendation, we still are dredging in these rivers and destroying our water bodies.

This poses clear threats to our environment and human lives, as it affects the quality of our drinking water as articulated by the Ghana Water Company Limited. 

Large scale mining

Clearly, in the early 1900s, the conclusion was reached that we needed to encourage the mining of gold by large, well-financed enterprising companies.  

Companies like AngloGold, Newmont and others that have the capacity to engage in mining, that can also protect our environment and water bodies are to be encouraged.

It is sad to realise that more than 100 years after this report, we are still back to unregulated small-scale miners, who are destroying our environment.

As I stated at the beginning of this article, the first man on earth, Adam in Hebrew, implied earth. We owe it to our existence to protect Mother Earth. 

This galamsey menace is an existential threat that ought to be defeated.

The writer is the Chairman of Honour Ghana
Email: joeankra@yahoo.com