Historic Moment: First Ethical Gold Bars from Ghana Presented to Asantehene

In a landmark development for Ghana’s gold mining industry, the country has successfully exported its first batch of responsibly sourced gold from the small-scale sector—produced under a new performance standard aligned with the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) guidelines. This achievement not only marks a pivotal moment in Ghana’s mining history but also sets the pace for a more formalized and internationally credible small-scale mining sector.

The milestone was achieved through a strategic partnership between Typhoon Greenfield Development Ltd, MKS PAMP, and Development Gold International (DGI). Under the oversight of the LBMA’s Responsible Sourcing Programme, 445 grams of gold were produced at Typhoon Greenfield’s Adomanu mine and exported for refining at MKS PAMP’s facilities in Switzerland.

Transforming Ghana’s Small-Scale Mining Landscape

The initiative falls under DGI’s Development Gold Ghana Performance Standard, a framework created in collaboration with mining experts at TDi Sustainability. The standard is designed to raise the bar in responsible gold mining by ensuring that small-scale operations meet stringent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benchmarks.

Speaking on the milestone, Max Afriyie-Barwuah, President of DGI, emphasized the importance of this achievement:

“This marks years of dedicated work with mines in Ghana to build technical capacity and align with international best practices. It demonstrates a serious commitment by Ghanaian miners to meet global expectations and to contribute meaningfully to responsible sourcing.”

Kwaku Afrifa Nsiah-Asare, CEO of Typhoon Greenfield Development Ltd, echoed this sentiment:

“We are proud to be pioneers in this transformative journey. Working with DGI has helped us enhance our operational systems and environmental management, opening doors to respected global partners like MKS PAMP.”

International Support and Endorsement

The historic export attracted the attention of major industry stakeholders and government leaders. Notable attendees at the official event included:

• Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources
• Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma, Minister of Mining, Republic of Malawi
• Colonel Ousmane Abarchi, Minister of Mines, Republic of Niger
• Wilmot Paye, Minister of Mines, Liberia
• Godard Gibolum, Deputy Minister of Mines, Democratic Republic of Congo
• Aboubacar Kourama, Vice Minister of Mines, Guinea-Conakry
• Abdiwahab Abdi Omar, Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources, Republic of Somalia
• Sammy Gyamfi, CEO of Ghana GoldBoard
• Cisse Vakabe, Mining Advisor to the President of Côte d’Ivoire

These high-level attendees signaled the growing regional and global interest in replicating Ghana’s success in formalizing artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM).

LBMA’s Recognition and Global Impact

Ruth Crowell, Chief Executive of the LBMA, praised Ghana’s progress:

“This is exactly the kind of initiative the LBMA seeks to support. Ghana is showing how small-scale mining can be redefined to meet global standards.”

Omar Liess, Chief Commercial Officer of MKS PAMP, also acknowledged the project’s significance:

“We are proud to contribute to a new chapter in responsible sourcing and look forward to helping scale this initiative globally.”

Sustainability, Compliance, and Traceability

One of the standout components of the initiative is its commitment to traceability and compliance. DGI’s proprietary tech platform, MineTrace, tracks gold throughout the supply chain—ensuring that responsible practices are maintained from mine to market.

According to Assheton Carter, Executive Chair of TDi Sustainability, the framework goes beyond compliance:

“This is about long-term impact. We’re helping miners achieve sustainable, verifiable improvements in environmental and social performance. This has been four years in the making, and we’re proud to see it live.”

Ghana at the Forefront of a Global Shift

With support from LBMA and its Responsible ASM programme launched in 2022, Ghana is emerging as a global model for the integration of small-scale mining into formal supply chains. The LBMA has identified Ghana as one of the top four countries worldwide with strong potential to become a hub for responsibly sourced artisanal gold.

Since 2023, the LBMA has worked closely with the Bank of Ghana, mining authorities, and key stakeholders to push forward progressive compliance and ethical sourcing.

As Ghana continues to refine and expand its responsible mining framework, this successful export represents more than just a transaction—it signifies the nation’s readiness to lead a new era of sustainable, ethical, and economically inclusive gold production.