Murky Manganese

The report details how the Nsuta manganese mine in Ghana, operated by the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) and controlled by China's Ningxia Tianyuan Manganese Industry Group (TMI), is causing severe health and environmental damage. Findings include the use of toxic mine pit water for dust suppression, leading to skin, eye, and respiratory issues among residents, and the existence of an unstable tailings dump that threatens local homes. The report also highlights the risk to the Neung Forest Reserve, a critical biodiversity hotspot, as mining operations expand to meet the rising demand for manganese in EV batteries for companies like Tesla, Ford, and General Motors.

• The Nsuta mine uses highly toxic water from the mine pit to suppress dust on roads, which has led to the dispersal of metals like arsenic into surface and groundwater. This contamination is linked to chronic health problems in local communities, including skin, eye, and breathing conditions, and may cause cancer, stillbirths, or DNA alterations in unborn children.
• The mine's tailings dump is described by a geophysicist as an unstable structure that is steeper than industry standards and poses a danger to nearby residents. In the community of Nsuta Zongo, constant blasting has caused serious structural cracks in homes.
• Manganese from the Nsuta mine enters a global supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, with the principal destination being China. The mine is controlled by the Ningxia Tianyuan Manganese Industry Group (TMI), which supplies Shenzhen Dynanonic and subsequently the battery giant CATL, a supplier for Tesla and other major car companies.
• Mining expansion threatens the Neung Forest Reserve, which is part of the Upper Guinean Forest and classified as a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. If the Nsuta mine expands to its full 170 square km legal boundary, it would encroach upon this forest, which serves as a climate change refuge for multiple species.
• Despite the economic value of manganese exports—approximately US$185 million in 2023—local communities report that the financial benefits are erratic and insufficient to cover the health costs associated with mining pollution.
• The mine is scaling up production to meet EV demand, with ore production targets increasing from 5.7 million tonnes in 2024 to a projected 10 million tonnes in 2026.

APA

Global Witness (2026). Murky Manganese. https://globalwitness.org/documents/1010/Murky_manganese_report_-_April_2026.pdf

Chicago

Global Witness. Murky Manganese. 2026. https://globalwitness.org/documents/1010/Murky_manganese_report_-_April_2026.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Murky Manganese |date=April 2026 |url=https://globalwitness.org/documents/1010/Murky_manganese_report_-_April_2026.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitness2026murky, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Murky Manganese}}, institution = {Global Witness}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://globalwitness.org/documents/1010/Murky_manganese_report_-_April_2026.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }