By Staff Writer
The Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources and the National Minerals Agency (NMA) have clarified that the Government of Sierra Leone did not revoke or withdraw a Large-Scale Mining Licence from JM Mining Kenema (SL) Limited, stating that no such licence had ever been issued to the company.
According to a joint statement issued on Wednesday, JM Mining was only granted a conditional offer of mineral rights, which expired after the company failed to meet the statutory requirements for accepting the offer and paying the prescribed fees within the legally required timeframe.
The Ministry explained that, under the Mines and Minerals Development Act, a conditional offer does not constitute a mining licence. It noted that a Large-Scale Mining Licence can only be granted after an applicant formally accepts the offer in writing and pays all statutory fees within the prescribed period.
The statement disclosed that on 23 January 2025, following a recommendation from the Minerals Advisory Board, JM Mining received a conditional offer approved by the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources. However, the company failed to fulfil the legal conditions necessary for the issuance of the licence.
Government authorities said they made several efforts to assist the company in meeting the requirements. According to the statement, the Ministry, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Minerals Agency provided guidance to facilitate the company’s compliance with environmental licensing requirements and the conditions attached to the mineral rights offer.
The NMA also granted JM Mining additional time to secure financing before issuing statutory payment demands. Official Orders to Pay were eventually issued on 24 July 2025, requiring the company to pay US$1 million in licence fees and US$100,000 in monitoring fees within 30 days.
Despite the extension, the Ministry stated that JM Mining repeatedly failed to honour its payment obligations. The initial deadline expired on 23 August 2025 without payment. After receiving a demand from the National Revenue Authority (NRA) on 28 October 2025, the company requested another extension until 31 December 2025, but again failed to make the required payments.
The statement further revealed that on 29 January 2026, JM Mining requested a new Order to Pay, acknowledging that it had failed to comply with the previous payment orders. A day later, on 30 January 2026, the Minister of Mines formally confirmed that the conditional offer had lapsed and was rescinded after the company failed to meet the statutory requirements despite repeated extensions.
The Ministry and the NMA also disclosed that JM Mining admitted its failure to meet the payment obligations in three separate letters addressed to government authorities between October 2025 and January 2026.
The Government stressed that the decision was reached through due process and reviewed by the Minerals Advisory Board, dismissing suggestions that the action was arbitrary or intended to discourage foreign investment.
According to the statement, waiving the outstanding US$1.1 million in statutory fees for a single company would undermine regulatory integrity, compromise equal treatment under the law, and disadvantage companies that have complied with Sierra Leone’s mining regulations.
The Ministry concluded by reaffirming its commitment to transparency, fairness and the rule of law, stating that Sierra Leone’s mineral resources belong to its people and will only be entrusted to investors who fulfil their legal obligations.
