🛰️ Detection database updated every 5 days — View Live Map →
Live Satellite Monitoring

FIGHT
GALAMSEY
FROM SPACE

MineWatch uses satellite imagery to detect illegal artisanal gold mining across Ghana's forests — updated every 5 days, covering the nation's most vulnerable regions.

View Live Detection Map Learn More ↓
28,681
Detections in Database
6
Regions Monitored
5 days
Update Frequency
LIVE MONITORING ACTIVE
28,681
DETECTIONS
28,681
Total Detections
14,665
New Mining Sites
6
Regions Monitored
5 Days
Update Frequency
Technology

HOW IT WORKS

Three stages of intelligent satellite analysis, delivering actionable intelligence every 5 days.

01

Satellite Acquisition

Sentinel-2 multispectral satellite imagery is acquired every 5 days from the European Space Agency's Copernicus programme at 10-30 metre resolution across all monitored regions.

02

AI Analysis

The detection pipeline compares current vegetation levels against 5 historical baseline periods using NDVI change analysis, Hansen forest data and multi-layer masking to identify genuine mining activity.

03

Intelligence Delivery

Verified detections are published to the MineWatch dashboard, giving law enforcement and environmental agencies actionable coordinates for field investigations.

Coverage

MONITORED REGIONS

Six primary mining regions currently under continuous satellite surveillance, with national expansion underway.

High Priority
Western Region
Tarkwa, Prestea and Bogoso mining belt — one of the most heavily galamsey-affected areas in Ghana with decades of illegal activity.
High Priority
Ashanti Region
Obuasi area and the forest reserves surrounding Kumasi, covering one of Ghana's largest gold-producing territories.
High Priority
Eastern Region
Kibi, Akyem and Birim River areas, where illegal mining threatens critical water sources and forest reserves.
Active
Western North Region
Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai area and surrounding forest zones with significant illegal mining pressure.
Active
Central Region
Dunkwa and Assin areas along the Pra River system, where mining activity threatens water quality.
Active
Ahafo Region
Goaso and Bechem forest areas within the Ahafo forest belt, adjacent to the Newmont Ahafo licensed mining operation.
About

PROTECTING GHANA'S FORESTS

Ghana loses an estimated $2 billion annually to illegal mining. MineWatch gives environmental defenders the intelligence they need to act faster and more effectively.

Updated Every 5 Days

The pipeline runs automatically every 5 days, ensuring law enforcement always has the most current intelligence on active galamsey operations.

False Positive Reduction

Multiple masking layers including Hansen forest baseline, settlement exclusion, city buffers and savannah zone restriction minimise false alerts.

Citizen Reporting

Ground-level reports from citizens via the MineWatch mobile app complement satellite data with first-hand evidence from mining areas.

Licensed Mines Excluded

Nine licensed industrial mining operations are automatically excluded, ensuring the platform focuses only on illegal activity.

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JOIN THE FIGHT
AGAINST GALAMSEY

Access the live detection map, report illegal mining activity and help protect Ghana's forests and rivers for future generations.

Access Detection Map