Licensing in Sierra Leone

=Open bidding requirements=

As of October 2013, the process for granting mining licenses is unclear and open bidding requirements that are included in the Mines and Minerals Act (2009) do not apply to all areas. Often, the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources engages in direct negotiations with companies.

=Institutions involved in licensing process=

Key institutions in the licensing process are the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources (MMMR), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Minerals Advisory Board (MAB), and the National Minerals Agency (NMA). However, current legislation is unclear and often conflicting over the division of institutional authority and responsibility in the licensing process.

For instance, the Mines and Minerals Act (2009) indirectly contradicts the Environmental Agency Act (2008) regarding the authority of the EPA in the licensing process. Section 131 of the 2009 Act states that the Minister of Mineral Resouces (not the EPA) requires an environmental impact assessment licence as a condition for granting a small-scale or large-scale mining licence as prescribed under the Environment Protection Act.

=References=