Impacts of artisanal gold mining on livelihoods and water resources in Upper Denkyira East Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is expanding rapidly across rural Ghana, raising urgent concerns about heavy-metal contamination of water resources and the sustainability of local livelihoods. This study aimed to assess the environmental and socio-economic impacts of ASGM in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality by integrating physicochemical analysis of water with community perceptions. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we quantified metal concentrations in primary drinking and irrigation water sources, while stakeholder perspectives were evaluated using the Weighted Average Index (WAI). The results revealed markedly elevated levels of arsenic (0.26 mg/L), mercury (4.22 mg/L in streams; 19.09 mg/L in rivers), lead (0.34–0.54 mg/L), and iron (2.31 mg/L in streams; 21.91 mg/L in rivers). When compared to World Health Organization (WHO) drinking-water standards, mercury levels in rivers were nearly 30,000 times higher than the recommended limit (0.001 mg/L), arsenic exceeded the guideline (0.01 mg/L) by 26-fold, lead surpassed the 0.01 mg/L standard by 34–54 times, and iron concentrations were over 10 times the WHO threshold (2 mg/L). Perception data showed that deforestation (WAI = 1.83), water pollution (WAI = 1.76), and soil degradation (WAI = 1.65) were viewed as the most severe impacts on agricultural productivity. Although ASGM contributes to income generation, weak regulatory enforcement and unregulated mining practices continue to drive environmental degradation and threaten food security, public health, and rural resilience. Strengthening regulatory oversight, enhancing community-based monitoring, and expanding viable alternative livelihood programmes are critical for mitigating these risks. The study recommends prioritised, stakeholder-specific actions—including investment in monitoring infrastructure, NGO-supported environmental education, and miner-focused training on safer extraction techniques—to promote sustainable resource governance in ASGM-affected communities.