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Let’s promote
small and artisanal mining, says Miss Aryee
Tarkwa, Aug. 20, Ghanadot/GNA - Miss Joyce Aryee, the
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has
said artisanal and small scale mining must be properly
promoted to enable the sector to contribute to national
development.
She said this could reduce unemployment, promote safe
practices, reclaim mined out areas and reduce the miners’
use of mercury and other dangerous chemicals in their
operations.
Miss Aryee said this at a day’s workshop on the theme
“Mainstreaming artisanal and small scale mining” at Tarkwa
on Tuesday.
It was organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines and the BUSAC
Fund for chiefs, opinion leaders and artisanal and small
scale miners in the Western Region.
She said a conscious effort must be made by all stakeholders
especially the government to seriously promote small scale
mining to enable the sector to develop adequately.
Miss Aryee said this could be done if the cumbersome
licensing procedures were simplified and modified while at
the same time making available to the miners information on
concessions that has enough minerals to meet their needs.
She said presently it was too expensive for a small scale
miner to undertake exploration and therefore called for a
thorough study to identify and build a comprehensive
database on small scale mining.
Miss Aryee said the present situation where several illegal
miners operated in tailings dam of large scale mining
companies, illegally capturing and occupying concessions of
mining companies, theft of mine property and the increasing
environmental pollution should cease.
She said there was the need for large scale mining companies
to assist artisanal and small scale miners by engaging in
exploration activities for small scale miners.
Additionally, mining companies should share geological
information with the government which would in turn assist
small scale miners.
Dr. Aryee suggested that successful small scale and
artisanal mining groups should be show-cased and used as
models for other emerging groups.
Prof Daniel Mireku-Gyimah, Vice Chancellor of the University
of Mines and Technology who chaired the function, commended
the Ghana Chamber of Mines for spearheading the campaign for
small scale miners.
He said their efforts could be rewarded if they were
assisted to regularise their operations, operate within the
acceptable laws and practices and some credit facilities
made available to them to buy tools and protective clothing.
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