Eight people in eastern Ghana have been arrested for illegal mining, according to Joy Online.

The mining had been polluting local water supplies, but miners had continued regardless. The local government's Eastern Regional Security Council confiscated 24 excavator batteries, 16 pumping machines, a chainsaw, three monitors, five control boards, three single-barrel guns, two pump-action rifles, cartridges, and cash in the police action.

While the exact type of mining wasn't announced, Ghana is the sixth-largest gold producer in the world, per Gold.org, and another mining operation was recently shut down for illegally harvesting gold.

Extractive industries have deep human and environmental tolls. Child labor has been employed in other African nations for mining, while tailing ponds have rendered rivers poisonous in others. Some mining operations have destroyed great ape habitat, adding more pressure on stressed populations.

Regulations can help improve working and ecological conditions. South Africans, for example, are calling for improved regulations to lessen environmental impacts, per the Conversation. Artisanal mining is especially dangerous since it lacks safety protocols and government oversight, but properly regulating it may yield better working standards by documenting the chain of custody of minerals, the Atlantic Council revealed.

Maintaining robust enforcement and strong laws against illegal mining can help preserve ecosystems and vital water supplies used by nearby communities. Gold mines in Australia and Idaho are just a few that have faced the legal limits of their operation.

FROM OUR PARTNER

Can't afford solar panels? Here's how to get them without paying for purchase or installation

Palmetto's revolutionary LightReach program gives you all the benefits of solar power without the upfront costs.

LightReach lets you lease solar panels with no money down, making it easier than ever to lock in energy savings. Palmetto assumes all risk and responsibility for the panels you lease, which means you'll get reliable performance without unforeseen costs.

To get started, just answer a few basic questions about your home and learn how much you can save.

Learn more →

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?

While arresting eight illegal miners is good news, there's more progress to be made. Ghana's president has already committed to banning mining in protected forests. Ghanaian authorities were resolute in continuing to crack down on ongoing illegal mining operations.

"For the past days, we have been combing the Eastern region with our military and police to make sure the mandate by the president is obeyed," said regional minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, per Joy Online.

"If you go around, our waters are so bad, the environment is destroyed, pits are uncovered, our forest is being destroyed. It is a hazard to our nation and the region, so for the few days our men have been on the ground and here you are with several excavators that have been seized from them."

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?

Definitely 👍