Monrovia — The Ministry of Mines and Energy has uncovered illegal mining operations in CVI, Grand Gedeh County, involving the unauthorized use of earth-moving equipment by holders of Class 'C' mining licenses.

Class 'C' licenses, under the Minerals and Mining Law of 2000, are reserved exclusively for Liberians and are intended to promote local participation in the mineral sector through artisanal and small-scale mining using only hand tools such as shovels. However, the Ministry's Compliance Enforcement Team discovered that several license holders in the CVI community have been operating in direct violation of the law by using excavators--equipment strictly prohibited under the terms of the license.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry, the violations were uncovered in the Konobo and Putu Mining Districts. Investigations revealed that some Liberian license holders were colluding with foreign nationals to carry out large-scale mining operations while neglecting environmental responsibilities, including the failure to back-fill or reclaim open pits created during their activities.

With the support of state security agencies, the Ministry has confiscated keys to the excavators and seized all other illegal equipment found at the mining sites. Immediate Closure Orders have been issued for all affected sites, and operations have been suspended.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

The Ministry has pledged a full investigation into the license holders involved. Depending on the outcome, violators will be turned over to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution in line with the severity of their offenses.

Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye assured the public that the Ministry remains committed to enforcing mining laws and regulations. He emphasized that the government will not tolerate individuals seeking to exploit loopholes to defraud the country of much-needed revenues or undermine efforts to promote sustainable and lawful mining practices.