The menace of mining and water pollution

The increasing incidence of Cyanide spillages, which were hitherto uncommon with underground mining, has become associated with surface mining operations and some of the incidences of cyanide spillages in the country include but not limited to the following;

• Cyanide spillage at the Obenemase mine, which contaminated the Owerri River.

• The cyanide spillage of Billington Bogoso Gold in 1991

• An accident involving a truck conveying sodium cyanide to Billington Bogoso Gold at Samahu in 1994 causing cyanide to spill into the environment.

• Cyanide spillage of Teberebie Goldfields on 18th June 1996 causing cyanide solution to flow into Angonaben stream, a tributary of the Bonsa River.

• The cyanide spillage of Ashanti Goldfields Company, Obuasi Mine, which occurred in 1999 and affected many communities. The spillage affected two major rivers, Supu and Fina and other small rivers in the Obuasi area. Some communities were forced to relocate to new settlements.

• Cyanide spillage of Goldfields Ghana Limited (GGL) on October 16th, 2001 which polluted river Asuman.

• Cyanide spillage of Satellite Goldfields Limited into wetlands at Akyempim on 28th October, 2001.

• The cyanide spillage of Goldfields Ghana Limited (GGL), which occurred on 18th May, 2003. GGL claimed that the spillage was contained and did not spill into the environment.

• The cyanide spillage of Bogoso Gold Limited (BGL), a Canadian Company, which occurred on Saturday 23rd October, 2004. The spillage was from the new tailings dam of Manse. The affected rivers flow into the big river Ankobra. The cyanide spillage affected Dumase town, and other communities like Goloto, Juaben, Kokofu, Egyabroni
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/The-menace-of-mining-and-water-pollution-526482