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

Fuelled by rising gold prices and youth unemployment, illegal gold mining has been growing in Ghana, despite military operations to shut down galamsey activities.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2025

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 • Apr. 18, 2024

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

From BBC • Nov. 6, 2018

Mercury exposure is especially harmful to children and teenagers, who often work at galamsey sites and handle the liquid metal with their bare hands.

From National Geographic • Mar. 6, 2018

He’d made a fortune, apparently, from galamsey mining—diamonds in the Western Region and gold in the Northern Volta, among other things.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo