Ghana
Ghana was estimated to be the world's fourth-ranked producer of manganese
Pictured: manganese
Statistics and information on the mining industry in Ghana.
Overview
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.
The Namdini Mine, operated by Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd., started operations and is expected to produce approximately 9,000 kilograms per year of gold during its first 3 years of operation. Manganese production also increased significantly, mainly because of higher output from the Nsuta Mine. the Government announced the construction of a \$450 million manganese refinery in the Western Region. The refinery was expected to process low-grade carbonate ore into high-value products locally.
2024 Report
Full data release with tables here.
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. Data on mineral production are in the Production table (formerly table 1). Production of mineral commodities contributed 9.5% to the gross domestic product. Mineral export earnings increased by 52.7% to \$11.9 billion, 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%) (Ghana Chamber of Mines, The, 2025, p. 6, 41,42; Ghana Statistical Service, 2024, p. 16; Kim, 2026; Sheaffer, 2026).
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 utilization 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. The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of Government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports—Africa and the Middle East, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/afric… (Minerals Commission of Ghana, 2021; Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, 2026).
Commodity Review
Gold.—In 2024, gold production by large-scale companies remained similar to that in 2023 at 90,695 kilograms (kg). Artisanal and small-scale production increased by 70% to 59,090 kg. This increase was driven by Government reforms, including the designation of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company, the Bank of Ghana, and the Minerals Income Investment Fund as major official gold buyers, which raised prices and encouraged miners to sell gold through official channels at competitive rates. These measures, along with the suspension of the 1.5% withholding tax on unprocessed gold, helped reduce gold smuggling. In late 2024, Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd., a subsidiary of Shandong Gold Group of China, officially commissioned the Namdini Mine in the Upper East Region. The project was expected to produce approximately 9,000 kilograms per year of gold during its first 3 years of operation. The mine had an estimated life span of 15 years. The Ghana Chamber of Mines expected gold production to continue increasing in 2025, supported by commissioning of new mines such as the Namdini Mine and by ramping up large-scale existing gold mines such as the Ahafo Mine, although output declines at some operations would likely offset these gains (Production table; Ghana Chamber of Mines, 2025, p. 33, 34, 36; Graphic Online, 2024a, b).
Manganese.—Manganese production in Ghana increased by 67% to 5 million metric tons (Mt) (ore, gross weight) in 2024. The increase was driven by the planned production rampup at the Ghana Manganese Company’s (GMC) Nsuta Mine, the country’s only large-scale commercial manganese mine. In late 2024, the Government announced the construction of a \$450 million manganese refinery in the Western Region. The refinery was expected to process low-grade carbonate ore into high-value products locally. The refinery will be developed in three phases, with phase‑one construction expected to take 24 months. The second and third phases will be implemented thereafter to expand capacity. Manganese production was expected to increase to 8 million metric tons per year, of which 5 Mt were intended to be refined within the country (Production table; Ghana News Agency, The, 2024; Ghana Chamber of Mines, 2025, p. 35).
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
| Commodity | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum, primary, metal | 30,000e | 30,000e | 14,000e | 42,000e | 14,000e |
| Bauxite | 1,162,000 | 839,465 | 773,213 | 959,601 | 1,694,175 |
| Cement, hydraulic | 6,700,000 | 7,200,000e | 7,400,000e | 7,600,000e | 7,800,000e |
| Diamond, natural, gem (carats) | 26,461 | 55,100 | 82,500 | 203,000 | 333,000 |
| Gold, mine, Au content (kilograms) | 88,5522 | 84,6012 | 95,5442 | 90,8302 | 90,6952 |
| Lead, refinery, secondary | 900e | 13,456 | 16,273 | 18,681 | 20,429 |
| Manganese, mine, ore | 2,358,000 | 3,336,000 | 3,171,722 | 3,001,736 | 5,009,377 |
| Manganese, mine, ore, 28% to 34% mn, Mn content | 637,000 | 911,000 | 844,000 | 818,000 | 1,280,000 |
| Raw steel | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 220,000 | 245,000 |
| Salt | 250,000e | 400,000e | 300,000e | 300,000e | 300,000e |
| Silver, mine, Ag content (kilograms) | 1,800e | 1,800e | 1,800e | 1,000e | 1,000e |
References Cited
- Ghana Chamber of Mines, The, 2025, 2024 performance of the mining industry—Ghana Chamber of Mines annual report 2024: Accra, Ghana, The Ghana Chamber of Mines, 78 p. (Accessed January 26, 2026, via https://ghanachamberofmines.org/media-centre/our-publications/.)
- Ghana News Agency, The, 2024, Ghana Manganese Company mulls \$450 million refinery to boost revenue, create jobs: Accra, Ghana, The Ghana News Agency, October 1. (Accessed January 26, 2026, at https://gna.org.gh/2024/10/ghana-manganese-company-mulls-450-million-re….)
- Ghana Statistical Service, 2024, Ghana 2024 trade report: Accra, Ghana, Ghana Statistical Service.
- Graphic Online, 2024a, Akufo-Addo unveils West Africa’s largest single-stream gold mine: Graphic Online, November 9. (Accessed May 27, 2026, at https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/akufo-addo-unveils-west-af….)
- Graphic Online, 2024b, Cardinal Namdini mine pours first gold in November: Graphic Online, October 25. (Accessed May 27, 2026, at https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-cardinal-namdin….)
- Kim, J.I Ji-Eun, 2026, Manganese: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 124–125.
- Minerals Commission of Ghana, 2021, Acts: Accra, Ghana, Minerals Commission of Ghana. (Accessed January 26, 2026, via https://www.mincom.gov.gh/acts/.)
- Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, 2026, Minerals Commission (MC): Accra, Ghana, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. (Accessed January 26, 2026, at https://mlnr.gov.gh/agency/minerals-commission/.)
- Sheaffer, K.N., 2026, Gold: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 90–91.
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