Ghana small-scale miners produce over 1.4 million ounces of gold in 2014

Small-scale miners in Ghana have reportedly produced about 1.49 million ounces of gold in 2014, according to the Ghana News Agency quoting Dr Toni Aubynn, Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission.

“In 2014 for instance, total gold produced by small scale miners was about 1.49 million ounces, representing 34.3 per cent of the total gold produced in Ghana.  All the diamonds produced was by artisanal and small-scale miners and the sub-sector also generated substantial employment to the youth both direct and indirect as well as forward and backward economic linkages,” he said.

Overall, gold production in Ghana is reported to have fallen from 3.19 million ounces in 2013 to about 3.16 million ounces in 2014.

As a result, gold revenue, which accounts for nearly 98 per cent of the basket of mineral revenue, declined from about $4.6 billion in 2013 to about $3.8 billion in 2014.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi