Ghana’s government has taken operational control of Gold Fields’ Damang mine following the rejection of the South African miner’s application to renew its lease, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources announced on Wednesday.
Gold Fields, based in Johannesburg, confirmed on Monday that its lease for the Damang mine—set to expire on April 18—was not renewed, prompting the company to begin winding down operations. Mining activities at Damang had already ceased in 2023, with the company processing only stockpiled ore. It had pledged to exit the site in an orderly manner as part of its end-of-life plan.
“The Damang Mine’s return to state oversight marks a critical step in Ghana’s economic reset, ensuring its gold reserves directly benefit citizens,” the ministry stated.
The move reflects a broader policy shift aimed at ending what the ministry described as the “neo-colonial” practice of automatic license renewals in Ghana’s gold mining sector. Officials said they are reassessing licenses to maximize national benefit and are open to new proposals that align with Ghana’s development goals.
Damang is the smaller of Gold Fields’ two Ghanaian mines, producing 135,000 ounces of gold in 2024—approximately 6% of the company’s total output of 2.15 million ounces. The larger Tarkwa mine remains the biggest open-pit gold operation in the country.
Gold Fields has been evaluating the sale of its smaller assets, including Damang and the Cerro Corona mine in Peru, which has fewer than five years of operational life remaining. The company is shifting focus toward its newer projects, including the recently commissioned Salares Norte mine in Chile and the Windfall project in Canada.
Meanwhile, regional instability continues to escalate across Africa. In Sudan, up to 400,000 people have been displaced after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of the Zamzam camp in North Darfur, according to recent reports.