Ghana’s significant gold deposits have attracted artisanal and smal-scale (ASM) miners and Chinese corporations alike, and given Ghana its colonial-era moniker of the ‘gold coast’. However, gold mining has also led to deforestation, soil erosion, and pumped various chemicals – including the highly toxic mercury and cyanide – into waterways. River pollution has meant that many farmers can no longer use nearby water sources for irrigation, and the state water utility has warned that Ghana may need to start importing water by 2030 if illegal mining continues to poison rivers. A recent survey conducted by WaterAid found that 79% of illegal miners surveyed in the country reported health issues directly linked to mining. Furthermore, rising gold prices continue to incentivise criminal syndicates’ involvement in illegal gold production, which is significant across Ghana’s illegal mining sector.