By: Eur Asia views

Across Africa, illegal gold mining operations involving Chinese companies are causing severe environmental damage and social disruption, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ghana. In northeastern DRC’s Haut-Uélé province, governor Jean Bakomito Gambu recently condemned a Chinese-run mining site that had devastated a local river, leaving the area economically and ecologically degraded. Similar patterns are observed in West Africa, where illegal small-scale mining—known locally as galamsey—often involves Chinese operators using heavy machinery and chemicals, leading to deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution.

Researchers from the Atlantic Council note that these operations frequently convert farmland and forests into mining zones, undermining local agriculture, food security, and long-standing livelihoods. While artisanal mining has traditionally supported local economies, semi-industrial Chinese mining is displacing these communities and causing extensive ecological harm. In Haut-Uélé alone, more than 250 kilometers of rivers and streams have been damaged since 2020 due to such activities.

Governor Gambu has initiated stricter registration requirements for foreign operators and shut down illegal sites, noting that Chinese miners often operate under the cover of Congolese cooperatives. To combat the issue, experts recommend enhanced community monitoring, collaboration with government agencies and NGOs, and greater transparency to expose collusion between miners, local officials, and criminal networks