In 2024, Ghana was estimated to be the world's fourth-ranked producer of manganese, accounting for 7% of global production; and sixth-ranked producer of gold, accounting for 5% of global production. Other mineral commodities produced in the country included aluminum, bauxite, cement, diamond, refined lead (secondary), salt, and silver. Production of mineral commodities contributed 9.5% to the gross domestic product. Mineral export earnings increased by 52.7% to \$11.9 billion in 2024, representing 58.4% of Ghana’s total merchandise exports. Gold accounted for \$11.6 billion of this amount and 97.2% of mineral export revenue. Ghana exported gold to Switzerland (36.5%), the United Arab Emirates (36.5%), and South Africa (18.0%).
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Ghana is provided by the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended in 2015 (Act 900) and in 2019 (Act 995), and the Minerals Commission Act of 1993 (Act 450). The Minerals Commission, under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, oversees the mineral sector and provides regulatory and managerial oversight. It coordinates and implements mining policies to ensure the effective use of Ghana’s mineral resources, with a mandate that includes regulating and managing mineral operations as well as coordinating and implementing national mining policies. Most mineral commodities were produced by private companies.
