By Bill W. Cooper
Report reaching the Inquirer Newspaper says, one of Liberia’s first and largest commercial gold mining companies, the Bea Mountain Mining Corporation (BMMC), is expected to halt its operations in Liberia despite series of development being undertaken in Mantambo, Grand Cape Mounty County.
Though reason for the company’s alleged decision is yet to be established, this paper has gathered from impeccable source is that the company’s decision might apparently be triggered by the Liberian government’s alleged effortless stance to restrict a ‘Class B’ license to a Chinese mining company from operating in the company’s ‘Class A’ licensed concession area.
It can be recalled that the operations of BMCC in Liberia can be traced back to 2001 when the company signed the first Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the Liberian Government under the leadership of former President Charles G. Taylor.
On July 29, 2009, the Government of Liberia then headed by ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf granted a ‘Class A’ Mining License within the BMMC MDA property thus granting the company License permits to mine within a 478 km2 area which encompasses the New Liberty Gold Mine which the Government of Liberia holds a 10% free carry interest in the Bea Mining deal.
In September, 2013, the Government of Liberia ratified a Restated and Amended Mineral Development Agreement for the Bea Mountain Mining License covering the 478 km² area which includes the New Liberty Gold Mine along with the Ndablama Project, Silver Hills, Gondoja, the Weaju Project and Leopard Rock exploration targets that are currently in force.
But information had it that the BMMC did obtain ‘Class A’ license officially in 2009, from the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Mines and Energy thus giving them the full right to operate in Grand Cape Mount County unlike the Chinese Mining company.
Unfortunately, our source indicated that the Liberian Government has at the same time willfully issued a ‘Class B’ license to a Chinese mining company that is said to be operating in the same concession area of Bea Mountain, despite the difference in the two classes as guaranteed by the government.
Our source further pointed out that the government alleged that there is a delay or refusal through the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) to exert frantic efforts to get the Chinese company out of the concession area of the Bea Mountain which could apparently be one of the key reasons for the company’s pending actions in the coming days.
Meanwhile, our source further revealed that the company’s latest action to place a halt to its operations in Liberia followed previous plans by its management to construct a haul road to the process plant in New Liberty which would have provided more opportunities to the area as well.
Our source further mentioned that the company has also been able to address some basic social needs of the citizenry which include the construction of wells, educational and economic contributions covering thousands of United States Dollars among other things in that part of the country in line with its corporate social responsibilities.
However, it is unclear whether or not the company’s management will effectively halt its operations in the concession areas in March or April, but from all indications, according to our source, the company will act in 2022; something which one believe that if happens, it will have some negative effect on the Liberian economy and people, due to the numerous contributions of the company to the country’s revenue envelope.
Investigation continues with the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) for government’s official response to the conflicting license saga between Bea Mountain and the ‘Class B’ licensed Chinese mining company in Grand Cape Mount.
