Gold Fields’ Tarkwa Mine has invested $46 million in land rehabilitation since 2016, while recycling and reusing more than 97% of the water used in its operations, as the mining company steps up efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its activities.
The company said the investment forms part of its long-term rehabilitation programme, which has included planting more than 818,000 trees since 1998 across mined-out areas, rock dumps and waste sites.
Some of the rehabilitated land has been converted into agricultural areas, with crops including rubber, coconut, oil palm, cashew, citrus and mango being cultivated.
The approach is intended to give parts of the mine site an economic use beyond mining while supporting livelihoods in surrounding communities.
Water management is another major part of the mine’s environmental programme.
Gold Fields said Tarkwa Mine recycles and reuses more than 97% of the water used in its operations through treatment and recirculation systems. The company said this reduces the need to discharge treated water into nearby rivers and streams and helps protect water sources used by surrounding communities.
Rehabilitation efforts have also supported the return of wildlife to parts of the mine site.
According to Gold Fields, camera traps used by its conservation teams have recorded species including the Tree Pangolin, Mona Monkey, Bosman’s Potto and Royal Antelope in rehabilitated areas.
The company has also put financial provisions behind its rehabilitation commitments.
Gold Fields said it has deposited a $107.7 million reclamation bond with Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), compared with an estimated $107.2 million cost of restoring the site when mining activities eventually end.
The mine has maintained international safety and environmental certifications for more than two decades, according to the company.
The rehabilitation work comes as mining companies face increasing scrutiny over how land, water and other natural resources are managed during and after mining operations.
For Tarkwa, the scale of the rehabilitation programme means the environmental footprint of areas previously used for mining is being managed alongside ongoing production, with some former mining areas being returned to agricultural and ecological use.
