Business Context & Our Approach

At Galiano, we prioritize environmental stewardship by preventing or minimizing adverse impacts from our operations. When prevention isn’t possible, we focus on mitigation and restoration. Responsible environmental management is integral to our ethical responsibility and operational success.

Galiano’s commitment to responsible environmental management is embodied in our Environmental Policy, including:

  • Adhering to local laws, complemented by global best practices for environmental management
  • Allocating resources for fulfilling environmental responsibilities
  • Preventing air, land, and water pollution, with effective waste management
  • Prioritizing energy efficiency
  • Ensuring no negative human rights impacts
  • Establishing, revising, and reporting environmental targets for ongoing enhancement.

2024 Highlights

  • Zero significant environmental incidents
  • 94.1% recycled water used in the process plant
  • 57.54 ha of land under active rehabilitation
  • 95% MINCOM certification score for environmental audit
  • 18% of AGM’s electrical energy needs met by renewable sources (solar)
  • Compliance
  • Climate Resilience
  • Energy
  • Water
  • Waste
  • Biodiversity

Compliance

One of our primary sustainability goals is to be a trusted corporate citizen by striving for the highest standards of governance to drive transparency and improve accountability with our stakeholders. We are committed to environmental management practices that comply with environmental legal and regulatory requirements. We comply with all environmental laws and regulations in Ghana and seek to augment these with appropriate international guidelines and best practice environmental management including:

Key Levers:

  • IFC Performance Standards
  • World Bank Environment, Health, and Safety General and Mining Guidelines
  • World Health Organization Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality
  • International Cyanide Management Code (ICMC)

The AGM Environmental Management System (EMS) aligns its environmental planning, monitoring, and reporting practices with Ghanaian regulatory requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Monthly and annual environmental performance reports are submitted to the EPA, which regularly performs environmental inspections and verification visits.

Our Environmental Management System (EMS) follows the ISO 14001:2015 Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) framework—an iterative process designed to drive continual improvement in environmental performance. Formal certification is expected by Q4 2025. In line with this approach, we also submit monthly and annual environmental performance reports to Ghana's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

Climate Resilience

Galiano is committed to addressing climate change impacts. We prioritize managing and minimizing environmental effects, particularly those linked to climate change. Improving water and energy efficiency enhances both long-term profitability and our contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our robust climate change adaptation plan identifies cost-effective measures for implementation, enhancing our environmental commitment.

In 2024, our Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions totaled 68.25 ktCO₂e, calculated in accordance with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Through implemented energy efficiency measures, we avoided an additional 77.06 tCO₂e of Scope 1 emissions during the year.

Energy

The AGM has developed an energy policy that will drive the mine towards continuously improving energy performance and using energy in the most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible manner possible. Work that is being undertaken includes exploring options to reduce our reliance on electricity generated from fossil fuels, working with local regulators to improve our access to renewable energy sources, as well as identifying potential options for local generation.

The AGM is also exploring means to improve its overall energy use efficiency, implementing programs to upgrade less energy-efficient equipment where practical and looking for opportunities to use less energy.

The overall energy consumption for the AGM in 2024 was 1,362.3 TJ.

Water

Mining is water-intensive and as climate change impacts persist, global water supplies face stress and extreme weather events. To meet these challenges, water stewardship is central to our operations. We are dedicated to ensuring that managed water resources and saved withdrawals lead to socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically beneficial water availability.

Although the AGM is not located in a water-stressed region, access to clean water can be an issue for neighbouring communities as illegal mining in nearby areas negatively impacts surface and near-surface groundwater quality. As a result of this, the AGM works to improve water quality and develop water delivery infrastructure for local communities, working closely with regulators, traditional authorities, and local administration.

In 2024, the AGM extracted 1,932,368 m³ of fresh water—up from 1,329,723 m³ in 2023—primarily due to the full resumption of mining operations. All extracted water was used exclusively for dust suppression. Despite the increase in extraction, total water consumption dropped significantly to 301,302 m³ in 2024, compared to 1,274,913 m³ in 2023. This decline is largely attributed to the discharge of 1,631,066 m³ of water in 2024, whereas no water was discharged the previous year. Additionally, the use of recycled water in the process plant improved, reaching 94.1% in 2024.

Waste

Our Environmental Policy drives responsible mineral waste management at the Asanko Gold Mine. We' have implemented a comprehensive Waste Management Plan, focusing on waste reduction, recycling, and reuse. Our aim is to prevent, shrink, recycle, and explore waste as an energy source before opting for secure disposal.

The Waste Management Plan at AGM deals with diverse waste categories, categorized as hazardous and non-hazardous. We emphasize options like reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting for each waste stream.

We ensure strong engineering and containment measures (e.g., impermeable liners, bund walls) to prevent the release of contaminated leachate. Our site monitoring and rehabilitation programs reinforce this commitment.

All plant tailings are stored in AGM's single tailings storage facility (TSF). In 2024, a total of 5.1 million tonnes (Mt) of dry tailings were deposited into the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), down from 6.02 Mt in 2023, bringing the cumulative total to approximately 46.3 Mt. The TSF has a final design capacity of 87.6 Mt and is permitted for up to 94.6 Mt (EM-MM-540a.1). Stage 7 construction was completed in March 2024, adding 21.4 Mt of storage capacity, with Stage 8 construction scheduled to begin in 2025.

The facility is managed in full compliance with regulatory requirements and is subject to periodic regulatory reviews. It also undergoes quarterly independent compliance audits by certified engineers under the oversight of the Engineer of Record (EoR). In addition, the Independent Tailings Review Panel (ITRP) provides expert guidance on safety, engineering risks, and environmental impacts.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity profoundly impacts local communities near the Asanko Gold Mine. Galiano is dedicated to surpassing environmental standards and adopting best practices to manage our ecological impact. Our Asanko Gold Mine Biodiversity Implementation Plan includes frequent baseline assessments of flora and fauna, addressing both operational and closure biodiversity aspects. We compile data from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to ensure comprehensive conservation efforts.

AGM's Biodiversity Implementation Plan aligns with Ghana's National Biodiversity Strategy, EPA regulations, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and Aichi Biodiversity Targets.