Ghana

Ghana has a long history of mining dating back to the 15th century when the Portuguese arrived on the Gold Coast and established trading posts along the coastal areas. The Portuguese were mainly interested in gold, and they traded with the locals for gold dust and nuggets. Later, the Dutch, British, and Danes also established their trading posts along the coast, and the gold trade continued to flourish. In the 19th century, the demand for gold increased, and mining became more organized and structured. The British established a mining company in Ashanti, and they actively engaged in mining activities in the region.

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In the 20th century, Ghana gained its independence from Britain in 1957, and the government of Ghana took over the mining industry. Under the leadership of President Nkrumah, the government established the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Corporation (GCDC) and the State Gold Mining Corporation (SGMC) to manage the mining sector. The government also passed the Mineral Act in 1962, which established the Minerals Commission and the Geological Survey Department to regulate and oversee mining activities in the country. The discovery of oil in the country in 2007 also shifted focus from gold mining to oil exploration, but Ghana remains a major player in the gold mining industry, with several multinational companies actively engaged in gold mining operations in the country.