Abstract
We made site visits to determine potential environmental issues
caused by artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in the Tarkwa
Mining Area (TMA) of Ghana. Activities of the diggers were observed
to degrade vegetation, land and water. Improper handling of mercury
was also identified as a major threat to people and ecosystem. Large
abandoned pits and trenches posed fall traps to farmers, hunters and
wildlife. We argue that lack of adequate monitoring and regulatory
enforcement by Ghanaian authorities, together with inappropriate
mining processes, probably due to lack of technical expertise are
contributing factors to the environmental issues of artisanal and smallscale mining in the TMA.
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