Ghana: Is There Any Hope For Obuasi After The Mine Closure?

The Gold valley of Adansi became the dumping ground of highly toxic mining waste. Billions of toxic waste was dumped into creeks that drain the valley's heavily forested hillsides with no concern for environmental consequences. Toxic sludge from the mines has also been discharged into the valley floors creating 'mountains of cyanide' that shamefully adorn Obuasi's landscape. Runoff and flooding during torrential downpours continue to wreck environmental havoc. Aquatic life is non-existent from points south of the Kwabrafo River to the Jimi River in Akrofuom. Heavy metal pollution has poisoned what was once a biologically rich fishery. A comprehensive restoration program in the Jimi River basin would be one of the most ambitious pollution abatement efforts ever undertaken in Ghana and would undoubtedly pose daunting technical challenges. Among them, how to dispose of tons heavy metal sludge entombed on the floors of the picturesque valleys of Obuasi. Decades of mining activity has reduced once pristine land to veritable monstrosity of barren vegetation.
http://www.modernghana.com/news/517536/1/is-there-any-hope-for-obuasi-after-the-mine-closur.html