Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has enforced the closure of Bong Mines operations due to multiple environmental regulation breaches after two warnings to operator China Union since June 2024.
The mines, located approximately 150km north-east of Monrovia, was taken over by China Union in 2008 with an investment of $2.6bn (HK$21.83bn).
It made its first iron ore shipment in 2014 and has been operating without an effluent discharge licence. The operators were also accused of constructing a processing plant without the necessary permit and discharging tailings into a wetland area.
The EPA was reported as saying that it had issued two warnings to China Union since June 2024 and imposed fines, which the company did not respond to.
In a statement, EPA said: “China Union blatantly ignored the EPA warnings and continued to operate without any environmental permits, continuing its environmental degradation and pollution.”
It said the suspension of operations at the Bong Mines will remain in effect “until full compliance is achieved and the identified environmental concerns are duly addressed”.
Earlier this year, the Vedanta Group, through its arm Western Cluster (WCL), announced an investment of $2bn (Rs167.69bn) in Liberia’s mining assets.
In a press statement, Vedanta said: “We are on course for an investment of up to US$ 2 billion in WCL and aim to act as a catalyst to unlock Liberia’s economic potential and empower local communities through expansion of operation, thereby, generating numerous employment opportunities.”
