Monrovia – The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Mines and Energy continues carve out policies and implement existing regulatory frameworks to enhance the mineral sector of Liberia.
To improve our regulatory oversight, the Ministry has embarked on the following:
- Begun the process of reviewing the existing 2000 Minerals and Mining Laws of Liberia;
- Banned the use of dredges and mercury during gold mining activities on our water bodies;
- Banned the use of heavy earth moving equipment within non-Class B mining license areas;
- Introduction of ASM identification cards;
- Established the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Sector Working Group (ASMWG)
- Working collaboratively with the FDA and the World Bank through Redd++ on the implementation of Smart Mining techniques during ASM operations;
- Establishment of the Special Mineral Task Forces(SMTF);and
- Issuance of Default Notices and Termination Notices to some Mineral Exploration license Holders that are not in compliance with the Mineral Exploration Regulations and the licenses they possessed.
Issuance Of Default Notices And Termination Notices
The Ministry has issued Termination Notices and Default Notices to fifteen (15) Mineral
Exploration license holders. These notices will affect twenty-seven (27) Mineral Exploration
Licenses. The affected companies have either not made the requisite filings required by Section 4.1 (a), Sec 12.1 (a) or Sec. 17.1 (c) of the Mineral Exploration Regulations of Liberia. As such, some of these licenses automatically expires at the end of the Initial Term of the Extended Term without requirement of action or notification by the Minister. As the result of these notices, the companies have the right to request hearing to contest the Ministry’s justification for termination according to Sec. 17.2 of the Mineral Exploration Regulations of Liberia.
As for those licenses that were issued Notices of Default, either the companies have not made the requisite filings required by Section 4.1 (a) within the period provided in such Section according to Sec 12.1 (a) of the Mineral Exploration Regulations, or there is no evidence of the 2% of the approved work budget for the affected licenses that apparently could neither be calculated nor verified for the periods according to Sec 9.3(b) of the Mineral Exploration Regulations; or the companies have not submitted the required Annual Environmental Audited Reports for the affected license(s) during the period under review according to Sec.10.2 of the Mineral Exploration Regulations.
Those companies and licenses affected include but not limited to:
No. | COMPANY | LICENSE # | NOTICE |
1 | Mekinel Holdings Ltd | MEL 7001818 | TERMINATION |
2 | Pedras Age Mining Company | MEL 7003319 | TERMINATION |
3 | EarthSat Engineering Construction Inc. | MEL 7003519 MEL7004120 | TERMINATION |
4 | BSD Mining Ltd | MEL 7003419 | TERMINATION |
5 | Ya Ni Mining Company | MEL 9000919 | TERMINATION |
6 | Equinox Minerals Liberia Ltd | MEL 7003619 | TERMINATION |
7 | West Mining Ltd. | MEL 7003118 | TERMINATION |
8 | Tango Mining Inc. | MEL 7003018 | TERMINATION |
9 | SRG Liberia | MEL 7004220 | TERMINATION |
10 | Yuhem Group Liberia Ltd | MEL 7004320 | TERMINATION |
11 | Saffron Gold Liberia Ltd | MEL 9001320 MEL9001220 | TERMINATION |
12 | HAMAK MINING COMPANY | MEL 7001418 MEL 7002018 MEL 7001618 MEL 7002118 | TERMINATION |
13 | Afro Anglo American Resources Inc. | MEL 7001118 MEL 7001018 MEL 7000918 | DEFAULT |
14 | Rhino Gold Liberia Ltd | MEL 9001420 MEL 9001120 | DEFAULT |
15 | MNG Gold Exploration Inc. | MEL 2111/16 MEL2111/16 MEL2108/16 MEL 2109/16 MEL2113/16 | DEFAULT |