Mining and other Industrial Activities

Mining and its related activities is the mainstay of the district economy. The district is rich in gold and the mining industry is operated by Anglo-Gold Ashanti. The sector used to have a workforce of 22,000 in the early 1990s has now reduced to 4500 due to restructuring and retrenchment exercise currently going on.

Some of the other major industrial activities in the district are forest/wood based and related industries, blacksmithing and metal based industries, construction and quarrying based industries, mining and allied industries and agro-based industries. Blacksmithing and metal-based industries have sprung up in the district. Used metal scraps from the AngloGold Ashanti are salvaged by scrap dealers for the manufacturing of farm implements and equipment.

Agro-based industries notably oil palm and palm kernel extraction and gari processing ventures can also be found in the district.