Tarkwa | ||
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Town | ||
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Location of Tarkwa in Western region, South Ghana | ||
Coordinates: 05°18′00″N 01°59′00″W / 5.30000°N 1.98333°WCoordinates: 05°18′00″N 01°59′00″W / 5.30000°N 1.98333°W | ||
Region | Western Region | |
District | Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal | |
Population (2013) | ||
• Total | 34,941 | |
Time zone | GMT | |
• Summer (DST) | GMT (UTC) |
Tarkwa is a town and is the capital of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal district, a district in the Western Region southwest of South Ghana. Tarkwa has a 2013 settlement population of 34,941 people.
Tarkwa is noted as a centre of gold mining and manganese mining. Tarkwa Mine, which is a large open-cast gold mine, is situated to the northwest of the town, and Nsuta manganese mine is situated to the east of the town. Tarkwa Mine mines several low-grade conglomeratic "reefs" of Tarkwaian type. These reefs are of mid-Proterozoic age. Tarkwa Mine has the distinction of being one of the largest gold mines in South Ghana. Approximately 24 tons of gold is produced annually, and 100 million tons of earth is moved to achieve this production rate. The Iduapriem Gold Mine is also located near Tarkwa, 10 km south of the town. The Tarkwa Goldfield was discovered a few years before the Witwatersrand Goldfield in South Africa.
University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), is located in Tarkwa.
Tarkwa is a junction railway station and is served by Tarkwa Train Station on the Ghana Railway Corporation.