How RSCOMDEP is changing the face of small-scale mining at Mpohor Fiase

In the Ahanta West region of Ghana, a cooperative mining site under the Responsible Small-Scale Cooperative Mining and Development Programme (RSCOMDEP) is trying to revolutionize small-scale mining. The Ahanta West Mpohor Fiase cooperative, led by Charles Ahiati, is operating on a 25-acre concession and has set up a processing plant equipped with crushing and washing machines.

A tailings dam is also in place to handle waste material from the gold recovery process. The site is secure and isolated, with ore transported via a half-kilometer underground shaft to the processing plant.

Raymond Amponsah Kwofie, the cooperative's chairman and Assembly Member for Awunakrom, explained that their process begins with crushing the ore and then washing it to separate gold. The cooperative operates three washing plants, all connected to the same tailings dam. Mr Kwofie said that the tailings are periodically processed to recover any remaining gold. The cooperative relies heavily on machines, which have improved their processing and decreased the risks associated with miners working alone.

The government's involvement in providing machinery is crucial for small-scale miners who often cannot acquire equipment individually. The cooperative's success hinges on proving they can responsibly mine small-scale without harming the environment or host communities. While the cooperative uses water primarily for the washing process, the use of mercury in gold recovery could pose environmental risks.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will likely play a role in assessing the environmental impact of the cooperative's operations.