A new scientific study on artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Ghana has revealed alarming levels of mercury, arsenic, and lead contamination, raising urgent public health and environmental concerns.

Researchers warn that Ghana cannot afford to delay stricter mining regulations, improved environmental monitoring, and direct community health interventions, as citizens remain exposed to a dangerous mix of toxic metals.

Study Overview

The Mercury and Other Heavy Metals Impact Assessment (Aug 2024 – Sept 2025) was jointly conducted by Pure Earth and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The year-long study sampled soil, water, air, crops, and fish in mining communities across six regions: Ashanti, Western, Western North, Eastern, Central, and Savannah.

Using the Toxic Sites Identification Programme (TSIP) methodology, researchers investigated sites including Konongo Zongo, Prestea, Asiakwa, Osino, Bibiani, Dakrupe, and Wassa Kayianko. Laboratory results confirmed widespread contamination, with several hotspots far exceeding both Ghanaian and international safety thresholds.

Mercury Contamination Hotspots

• Konongo Zongo (Ashanti Region) recorded the highest soil mercury levels at 56.4 ppm, more than 560% above safe limits for playground soil (10 ppm). One sample peaked at a shocking 1,342 ppm.
• Wassa Kayianko (Western Region) air mercury levels averaged 1.84 µg/m³, surpassing Ghana’s standard of 1 µg/m³. Peak measurements reached 150 µg/m³, linked to gold smelting.
• While mercury in fish remained below WHO safety limits, experts cautioned that limited sample sizes make safety assessments inconclusive.

Arsenic and Lead Risks

• Soil arsenic in Konongo Zongo averaged 1,066 ppm, with peaks of 10,060 ppm — more than 4,000% above international thresholds.
• Water samples in Konongo Odumase and Nyamebekyere contained arsenic levels up to 3.3 mg/L, exceeding Ghana’s safe drinking water limit of 0.01 mg/L by 300 times.
• Lead contamination was found in both fish and crops:
  • Fish in Konongo Zongo contained 1.7 mg/kg of lead, surpassing the WHO food safety guideline of 0.3 mg/kg.
  • At Akwaboso (Central Region), fish samples reached 2.8 mg/kg.
  • Pumpkin leaves from Western North contained 3.1 mg/kg of lead, well above the 0.1 mg/kg threshold.

Public Health Concerns

The report concludes that mining communities face serious health risks from exposure to contaminated soil, unsafe drinking water, polluted air, and toxic food chains. Children, farmers, and miners are particularly vulnerable. Long-term exposure increases risks of cancer, kidney damage, neurological disorders, and developmental problems in children.

Key Recommendations

To combat the crisis, researchers outlined urgent measures:

1. Continuous Monitoring – Establish a robust national system to track toxic metals seasonally across soil, water, air, and food.
2. Pilot Remediation Projects – Deploy affordable methods like phytoremediation (hyperaccumulator plants) and introduce mercury-capturing retorts in mining areas.
3. Public Health Education – Launch community campaigns using radio, theatre, and outreach to warn miners and residents about the dangers of mercury and lead exposure.
4. National Task Force – Form an ASGM Environmental Response Task Force with the EPA, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, academia, and donor agencies.
5. Policy Alignment – Integrate interventions with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially health (SDG 3), clean water (SDG 6), responsible consumption (SDG 12), and life on land (SDG 15).

The Way Forward

The findings highlight the urgent need for tougher regulation of artisanal mining in Ghana. Without immediate action, millions of Ghanaians remain at risk from toxic metal exposure, threatening both public health and environmental sustainability.