Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a pre-closure notice to Cardinal Namdini Mining over an alleged failure to promptly report an incident involving a tailings pipeline, as the country strengthens environmental oversight of its mining industry.
EPA Deputy Chief Executive for Operations Michael Ayamga told Reuters that the notice partly relates to the alleged decoupling of a pipeline used to transport mine waste, which resulted in a spill. The regulator’s action remains subject to the relevant compliance and enforcement processes.
Cardinal Namdini is operated by Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, a subsidiary of China’s Shandong Gold. The mine, located in Ghana’s Upper East Region, is among the country’s newer large-scale gold operations and has contributed to higher national production since commencing operations.
The EPA is also reviewing the findings of an inspection at Gold Fields’ Tarkwa mine, although the regulator has not publicly disclosed the inspection findings or indicated whether further sanctions will follow.
Gold Fields said it was notified on September 14 that the EPA intended to undertake a broad environmental, social, governance and socio-economic impact assessment at Tarkwa. The company said it had requested additional time to examine the scope of the assessment and obtain external advice before determining its position.
The company also said Tarkwa remains subject to regular monitoring, independent assurance and regulatory oversight. Gold Fields reports that the operation has maintained ISO 14001 environmental certification for 23 years and International Cyanide Management Code certification for 18 years. Those certifications do not preclude regulatory inspections or further environmental assessments.
The EPA’s actions form part of a broader effort by Ghanaian authorities to strengthen governance of a sector that remains central to the country’s economy. Ghana recorded almost six million ounces of gold production in 2025, with artisanal and small-scale mining accounting for more than half of national output, according to industry data reported by the Ghana News Agency.
The regulatory approach is evolving alongside wider changes to Ghana’s mineral governance framework. Cabinet approved a review of the Minerals and Mining Act in July, with proposed measures including district mining committees, community development agreements and changes to licensing arrangements. The government has also approved a revised minerals and mining policy intended to strengthen local content and domestic value addition.
A new sliding-scale royalty regime has also been introduced, linking gold royalties to prevailing prices. The policy forms part of a wider effort to increase the economic returns retained by the Ghanaian state during periods of elevated commodity prices.
The environmental dimension is similarly receiving greater attention. Ghana’s EPA has expanded compliance programmes covering gold processing and the use of chemicals in mining, including measures directed at artisanal and small-scale operators. The authority has said operators failing to enter the relevant compliance process could face sanctions.
The EPA’s enforcement activity has also extended beyond Cardinal Namdini. Chinese-owned Earl International Group was ordered to suspend operations over what the regulator described as a legacy compliance matter associated with illegal mining activity. An Earl spokesperson subsequently said the company had addressed the EPA’s concerns and had been cleared to resume operations on September 28 after an environmental permit was issued.
The EPA has also previously fined AngloGold Ashanti’s Iduapriem operation for environmental breaches, although the regulator has not publicly detailed those violations in the latest account.
For Gold Fields, the environmental review comes against a separate question over the future of Tarkwa. The mine’s current lease is due to expire in April 2027, and Gold Fields submitted an application for renewal in November 2025. The company has identified the uncertainty surrounding the renewal as a significant issue for the operation.
Gold Fields’ smaller Damang operation, meanwhile, exited the company’s portfolio on April 18, 2026, following completion of the relevant transaction. The company has subsequently reported rehabilitation work at the closed Damang tailings facility, including plans associated with its conversion for agricultural use by host communities.
Ghana’s current regulatory direction therefore reflects several overlapping priorities: protecting environmental resources, strengthening state revenue, increasing Ghanaian participation in mining value chains and maintaining an investment environment capable of supporting continued production.
The challenge for policymakers and operators is to reconcile these objectives while ensuring that enforcement is transparent, evidence-based and consistently applied across the sector.
