WR: EPA seizes smuggled cyanide from a small-scale mine at Nkroful

The (EPA) has confiscated eight containers of illegally smuggled sodium cyanide during a compliance inspection at a small-scale mining site in Nkroful in the Ellembelle Municipality of the Western Region.

The operation forms part of intensified regulatory enforcement efforts targeting illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, and the unlawful use of hazardous chemicals within mining communities across Ghana.

The inspection team, led by EPA Deputy Director for Mining,, discovered the highly toxic chemical at a grinding and vat leaching site reportedly operated by the Nkroful Small Scale Mining Group.

According to Mr Afful, evidence gathered during the inspection indicated that operators at the site had been conducting cyanide leaching processes for gold extraction, with visible chemical residues found around the operational area.

“They have done vat leeching. They use sodium cyanide to leach the gold, so you could see residue of the chemicals that were used. Some of the bags are not labelled, with one looking like sodium cyanide and another with the inscription copper sulphate,” he explained.

EPA officials expressed concern about the unsafe storage and handling of the chemicals, noting that several containers appeared to have been exposed to harsh environmental conditions for a prolonged period.

Mr Afful stated that some packaging materials were torn and damaged, increasing the risk of toxic substances being washed into nearby rivers and water bodies through surface runoff during rainfall.

“Sodium cyanide is very toxic and a lethal chemical. The smallest quantity that goes into the human body can cause death. So, it is a very lethal substance and we need to manage and evacuate it as soon as possible,” he warned.

Sodium cyanide is widely used in gold extraction processes but is classified as a highly controlled and hazardous chemical substance under Ghana’s mining and environmental regulations due to its potential impact on human health and the environment.

Mr Afful explained that entities seeking to import or use cyanide for mineral processing are legally required to obtain an end-user permit that specifies the approved location, quantity, and intended scope of use.

He noted that only licensed large-scale mining companies authorised to undertake cyanide leaching operations are permitted to import and handle the chemical under strict regulatory supervision.

According to the EPA official, preliminary investigations revealed that the operators allegedly sourced the chemical illegally from neighbouring Togo.

“In our interaction, the owner of this site told us that he sourced the product from a neighbouring town in Togo. Clearly, the source is illegal and so we have confiscated eight drums of the product,” he stated.

The EPA indicated that the confiscation forms part of immediate emergency measures aimed at preventing environmental contamination and protecting nearby communities from potential public health hazards associated with exposure to toxic mining chemicals.

During a separate inspection at another column leaching facility, the EPA team also identified what it described as unsafe operational practices with possible environmental consequences.

Mr Afful subsequently urged all small-scale mining operators to comply with approved environmental safety standards, regularise their operations, and adhere strictly to Ghana’s mining and environmental regulations.

Environmental experts have repeatedly warned that the unregulated use of hazardous chemicals such as sodium cyanide and mercury in illegal mining operations continues to pose serious threats to water bodies, farmlands, ecosystems, and public health in mining communities across Ghana.