By Staff Reporter
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources and the National Minerals Agency (NMA), has clarified the circumstances surrounding the lapse of JM Mining Kenema (SL) Limited’s application for a Large-Scale Mining Licence.
According to the Government, JM Mining Kenema (SL) Limited has never held a Large-Scale Mining Licence in Sierra Leone, contrary to any suggestion that an existing licence was withdrawn.
The Government said the company was offered approval for a Large-Scale Mining Licence on 23 January 2025, but the offer was conditional on the company accepting it in writing and paying the prescribed fees before the licence could be issued.
Under Section 108(5) of the Mines and Minerals Development Act, the Government explained that a licence could only be issued after the applicant accepted the offer and paid the required fees.
The Government said JM Mining failed to fulfil both conditions.
Government Says Company Failed to Pay
The prescribed fees included US$1 million in licence fees and US$100,000 in monitoring fees.
The NMA said it deliberately withheld the payment demand for approximately six months after the licence offer was made, giving the company additional time to secure financing.
However, on 24 July 2025, Orders to Pay were issued, requiring the company to pay the fees within 30 days.
The 30-day deadline expired on 23 August 2025, but no payment was made.
The Government further stated that the National Revenue Authority issued a formal payment demand on 28 October 2025, following which the company requested additional time until the end of the year.
That deadline also expired on 31 December 2025 without payment.
On 29 January 2026, JM Mining reportedly requested a new payment order, which the Government said amounted to an acknowledgement that the original payment order had not been fulfilled.
The following day, 30 January 2026, the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources confirmed that the licence offer had lapsed and was rescinded, bringing the matter to a close.
Government Cites Support for JM Mining
The Government also highlighted what it described as extensive efforts by the authorities to support JM Mining in resolving challenges affecting its operations.
The company first wrote to the Minister on 17 December 2023, complaining that the Environment Protection Agency had halted its exploration activities.
On 16 April 2024, the Minister reportedly met the company’s Chief Executive to discuss the matter.
A month later, on 20 May 2024, the Minister formally undertook to engage his counterpart in the Ministry of Environment to help resolve the impasse and allow the company to continue its activities.
The Minister also directed the NMA to provide guidance and support to the company throughout the licensing process.
The application was subsequently considered by the Minerals Advisory Board on 18 December 2024, with the Board recommending approval.
The licence offer was then conveyed to JM Mining on 23 January 2025.
Despite the additional time provided by the authorities, the Government said the company failed to pay the required fees.
No Licence Was Withdrawn
The Government stressed that the distinction between an offer of a licence and an issued licence is central to the matter.
It said JM Mining received an approval to grant a licence, rather than an actual Large-Scale Mining Licence.
Because the company neither accepted the offer in the required manner nor paid the prescribed fees, the Government maintained that no licence was ever issued.
Consequently, the Government said there was no existing mining licence to withdraw.
The authorities have therefore described the matter as a lapse of a conditional licence offer following the company’s failure to meet the statutory payment requirements, rather than the withdrawal or cancellation of an existing mining licence.
The Government said the record demonstrates that JM Mining was given significantly more time than the statutory period to meet its financial obligations, including additional grace periods requested by the company itself.
The Ministry and the NMA said their clarification is intended to set the record straight on the status of JM Mining’s licence application and the circumstances that led to the closure of the file.
