Accra: Small-scale mining has set a historic precedent by overtaking large-scale mining as Ghana's largest source of gold production for the first time in over a century. Christopher Nyarko, the Director of Analysis, Research and Finance at the Ghana Chamber of Mines, highlighted this significant shift, noting that it was recorded in 2025 when the country achieved a total gold output of 5.94 million ounces, up from 4.82 million ounces in 2024.
According to Ghana Web, small-scale miners produced 3.11 million ounces of gold, accounting for 52.4% of the national total. This development marks a major transformation in Ghana's mining landscape, with potential impacts on government revenue and employment. Nyarko emphasized the unprecedented nature of this shift, stating, "This is the very first time we are seeing this in more than 100 years of mining in the country, and it has a lot of implications on the revenue side, on a governance perspective as well, and even for decent employment opportunities."
The increase in small-scale mining was attributed to a substantial 63.82% rise from 1.90 million ounces in 2024. Conversely, large-scale production experienced a decline, dropping from 2.92 million ounces to 2.83 million ounces, which resulted in its share of the national output decreasing from 60.6% to 47.6%.
Nyarko cautioned that despite the surge in gold production, it may not necessarily lead to increased government revenue due to the informal nature of the small-scale mining sector. He pointed out, "Even though there's a growth in export receipts or even in revenue from the sector, it will not translate into a commensurate growth in government receipts, mainly because the small-scale sector, largely, if I'll put it very bluntly, it's not a tax-paying sector."
He also noted that gold continues to be the primary driver of Ghana's mineral exports, with mineral export earnings reaching around US$21.32 billion in 2025, with gold contributing approximately 95%. Nyarko stressed the importance of investing in exploration to discover new deposits and sustain production levels. "Mining is one that you need to replace the ore that you are taking. It's a finite resource. As you mine, the volume of material that you have available to mine will be depleting," he stated.
In conclusion, Nyarko underscored the necessity of ongoing investment in the sector to ensure the continuation and expansion of Ghana's gold production capabilities.