galamsey

American  

[guh-lam-see, ga-luhm-see] / gəˈlæmˌsi, ˌgæ ləmˈsi /

noun

1. illegal gold mining in Ghana that is usually done on a small scale.

   The report suggested that galamsey has driven further environmental degradation in the region.

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Other Word Forms

• galamseyer noun

Etymology

Origin of galamsey

First recorded in 1980–85; dialectal abbreviation of gather them and sell

Example Sentences

Ghana is Africa's largest gold producer and the sixth largest in the world, but it is struggling to address widespread illegal gold mining, locally called "galamsey".

From BBC

Concerns over the environmental impact of illegal gold mining – known in the country as “galamsey” – have become another major talking-point.

From BBC

The popularity of galamsey was borne out by a survey conducted by WaterAid in communities involved in illegal mining in Ghana’s Upper East Region, particularly the Bongo and Bawku West districts.

From BBC

He also points to an upsurge in small-scale mining in the area, known locally as galamsey, that’s polluted the water.

From Seattle Times

I kept waiting for him to mention "galamsey", the Ghanaian word for illegal mining, which epitomizes our destruction of the environment.

From BBC