Mines, Energy Ministry Exposes Class ‘C’ License Abuse and Systemic Illegality in Grand Gedeh County

Grand Gedeh County: In a decisive enforcement operation reflecting a heightened stance against regulatory defiance within Liberia’s mineral sector, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has unveiled widespread breaches of the nation’s mining laws in Grand Gedeh County.

It has been confirmed that individuals holding Class ‘C’ licenses have been operating in direct violation of legal provisions by deploying industrial-grade excavators, equipment expressly prohibited under the regulations governing artisanal mining licenses designated exclusively for Liberian citizens.

By: Abraham Sylvester Panto

The Konobo and Putu Mining Districts in Grand Gedeh have been marked as zones that have emerged as focal points of regulatory breaches and unapproved industrial exploitation.

Addressing the issue, the Mines, Energy Compliance and Enforcement Team, working in concert with national security forces, discovered that licensed Liberian operators were actively collaborating with foreign nationals to carry out unauthorized large-scale mineral extraction using heavy earth-moving equipment.

The situation the ministry views as a flagrant disregard of the limitations imposed under the 2000 Minerals and Mining Law, which restricts Class ‘C’ operations to manual tools such as shovels and pans.

According to the reports, the illicit activities extended beyond unpermitted equipment usage and included the total neglect of mandatory environmental obligations such as backfilling and land reclamation, with mining pits left exposed and abandoned.

In reaction to the violations, the ministry confiscated all contraband machinery and immobilized excavators found on site by seizing ignition keys and issuing immediate closure orders to all mining operations implicated in the violation of their licenses.

These actions were undertaken as part of a broader compliance initiative intended to eliminate fraudulent mining practices under the guise of artisanal licenses and prevent foreign interference in mineral extraction activities explicitly reserved for Liberians under Class ‘C’ license provisions.

The ministry confirmed that multiple individuals and entities, including both Class ‘C’ and Class ‘B’ license holders, have been identified in connection with these violations and will be subjected to rigorous administrative review.

The enforcement posture is expected to expand across other counties as the ministry intensifies its efforts to identify similar patterns of abuse and verify compliance among current license holders.

As the enforcement exercise continues, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has reiterated its call for full cooperation from community leaders, local authorities, and the public in reporting suspicious mining activities, emphasizing that sustained regulatory discipline is essential to ensuring that Liberia’s mineral wealth benefits its people.