Dirty Irish hands in Ghana’s pot of gold

Juno McEnroe explores the murky world of gold mining in Ghana and the part played by Irish investors, jewellers and their customers.

If you wear a gold ring on your finger, write using a gold-tipped fountain pen or even have gold stock in an investment portfolio, the chances are that your life is connected to dangerous and often polluting gold mining activities.

‘Dirty’ gold is fast becoming an issue for Irish jewellers and consumers and appropriately so as the price of the precious metal hits a 29-year high.