Liberia Shuts Down Illegal Gold Mine After Creek Diversion

When residents of four Liberian towns noticed their creek turning murky and undrinkable, they didn't just complain. They organized, filed formal complaints, and won a complete shutdown of the illegal mining operation threatening their water supply.

Liberia's Environmental Protection Agency closed Gannon Melina Group of Company on Friday after inspectors found the gold mining firm operating six excavators and two processing plants in Grand Gedeh County without any environmental permits. The company had diverted an entire creek to support its mining work, leaving abandoned pits and polluted water in its wake.

The inspection came just days after residents from Pyne Town, Sanquin, Gbliyee and Kwerteh Town filed complaints on March 10 through local environmental advocates. They reported that Slomehn Creek, which flows into the Sanquin River and provides water to downstream communities, had been contaminated by mining runoff.

Inspectors discovered the company operating across two separate mining sites with zero valid permits required under Liberian law. Large stretches of previously mined land sat abandoned without any restoration or rehabilitation efforts.

The diverted waterway posed the most serious threat. Redirecting the natural flow of Slomehn Creek risked disrupting aquatic ecosystems, increasing pollution downstream, and threatening communities who depend on the water for drinking and their livelihoods.

The Ripple Effect

This shutdown represents more than one closed mine. It signals that grassroots environmental advocacy works, even in regions where enforcement has historically been weak.

The EPA issued two non-compliance notices and announced that its nationwide environmental compliance exercise will continue across multiple counties. Teams are now inspecting mining concessions, logging operations, and industrial sites to ensure companies follow environmental protection laws.

"No company will be allowed to operate outside the framework of the law," the EPA stated, sending a clear message to other operations that might be cutting corners on environmental permits.

For the residents who filed complaints, the victory means their water source has a chance to recover. For Liberia, it demonstrates that community voices combined with regulatory action can protect natural resources that entire regions depend on for survival.

The cleanup and restoration of the diverted creek and abandoned mining sites will take time, but the immediate threat has been stopped.