Liberia has conditionally lifted its shutdown order on China Union’s Bong Mines iron ore operations, the government announced in a statement on Wednesday.
The West African nation’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had halted operations at the Bong Mines on August 28, citing multiple violations of environmental regulations by China Union.
Following the shutdown, China Union requested a temporary reprieve and committed to complying with all relevant environmental laws.
In response, the Liberian government stated that the EPA has granted China Union conditional permission to resume operations for the next three months, allowing the company time to address its regulatory compliance issues.
China Union acquired the Bong Mines, located approximately 150 km (94 miles) northeast of Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, with a $2.6 billion investment in 2008. The company made its first iron ore shipment from the site in 2014.
The shutdown on August 28 was due to China Union operating without an effluent discharge license, constructing a processing plant without a permit, and discharging tailings into a wetland, the EPA noted.
Liberia is rich in iron ore resources, but the mining sector suffered years of under-investment, particularly during the country’s civil war from 1989 to 2003, which led to a halt in production at the Bong Mines.
This temporary reprieve gives China Union a chance to comply with environmental regulations while continuing its operations in Liberia’s crucial mining sector.
