The shift in focus of illegal miners (galamsey) from encroaching on mining concessions of large scale mines to exploration is one of the serious challenges confronting the mining industry.
Ms Joyce Aryee, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, said �this is very worrying as it threatens the very life of the mining industry, since without a vibrant exploration programme, the long term life of the mining industry would not be assured.�
She was speaking at the Zone One inter-mine safety/first aid competition at Obuasi in which AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi mine), Goldfields Ghana Limited (Damani mine) and Golden Star Resources (Wassa Mine) participated.
Ms Aryee said the spate of galamsey activities in the country was alarming and that �the recent phenomenon which is fuelling illegal mining activities is the worrying participation of foreigners in the activity.�
She said these foreign collaborators provide funding as well as equipment for illegal mining operations under the guise of providing services to small-scale miners.
Ms Aryee said these foreigners are seen in broad daylight mining the beds of water bodies that are sources of drinking water to the communities.
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