Ghaha gold mine collapsed causing 17 miners dead

The government of Ghana called off a search for miners who were trapped underground since Sunday after an illegal gold mine collapsed, declaring 17 dead on July 5

Illegal gold mining and lacked safety equipment including mining lamps, safety helmet. Etc are the main reasons for collapsing

Illegal gold mining is a ramping issue at Africa’s second largest gold producer, and it has fuelled violence and pollution. In May, Ghana’s government suspended licences for small-scale operations, mostly run by Chinese businessmen, in an attempt to crackdown on the illicit activity.

Last year, illegal mining caused the state to lose $2.3 billion in revenue, data from Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources shows. In comparison, Ghana’s legal gold exports brought $3.2 billion last year to the government coffers.

Facing mounting tensions, violence, and pollution, Ghana has stepped up the arrest and deportation of those illegal foreign miners in recent years. In June and July 2013 alone more than 4,500 illegal Chinese gold miners were deported. More recently, in August 2016, the government expelled about 30 illegal miners, the majority of them Chinese.

Ghana relies on China for billions of dollars in loans and commerce, as the country is its biggest trading partner. The crackdown on illegal foreign miners, experts agree, threatens to make the situation increasingly difficult for Ghana, particularly as the illicit extraction of gold has become an economic lifeline in the country’s rural areas.