Growing concerns over environmental protection and mining accountability have intensified in Gbarpolu County after inspectors uncovered a series of alleged violations during a nationwide environmental monitoring campaign, raising broader questions about compliance standards within Liberia’s mining sector.
The discoveries emerged during the second day of a nationwide inspection exercise conducted by the Zone A Team of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia, which visited several mining sites in the Bopolu Mining District.
Rather than isolated compliance issues, inspectors described findings that point to deeper concerns involving environmental safeguards, operational oversight, and the protection of natural resources in communities where mining activities continue to expand.
At operations belonging to Cosmos Investment Corporation Limited in Gbaryasu Town, inspectors reported multiple environmental concerns, including the absence of a valid environmental permit at the site, missing operational monitoring records, inadequate waste disposal systems, and poor sanitation conditions within the company camp.
Investigators also identified what they described as one of the most serious findings of the inspection — the reported diversion of the Butulu River channel, a development likely to raise questions about potential impacts on ecosystems, water resources, and nearby communities.
Following the findings, the EPA issued an immediate order halting activities at the site, citing environmental degradation and pollution concerns.
Elsewhere in the district, inspectors visited Eurica Mining Company and reported that the company was allegedly conducting Class B gold mining operations without the required environmental permit.
Regulators responded by issuing a non-compliance notice and barricading an excavator discovered operating at the site.
The monitoring exercise later extended to Point Worwor Town in Gbelee Ta Clan, where authorities identified twenty-two Class C mining sites.
At one operation reportedly owned by Junior Morris, inspectors discovered the use of an excavator and ordered an immediate shutdown while restricting access to the equipment over environmental compliance concerns.
Although local miners reportedly informed inspectors that mercury was not being used at the site, EPA officials used the engagement to conduct awareness sessions highlighting the environmental and public health dangers associated with hazardous mining chemicals.
The findings have added fresh attention to ongoing discussions surrounding sustainable mining practices in Liberia, particularly in resource-rich regions where economic activity often intersects with environmental protection challenges.
EPA officials say the nationwide exercise remains focused on strengthening compliance, safeguarding water bodies, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring that development activities do not come at the expense of environmental sustainability.
As inspections continue across the country, the latest findings in Gbarpolu may reignite wider debate over whether regulatory enforcement is keeping pace with the growth of Liberia’s mining industry.
