The Environment Protection (Mines and Minerals) Regulations. Statutory Instrument no. 10 of 2013.

These Regulations, made under Section 62 of the Environmental Protection Act, no. 11 of 2008, apply to: any person who wishes to undertake any extractive industries project, including mining, quarrying, extraction of sand; body corporates and individuals applying for minerals rights, according to the Law. The Regulations define: adverse environmental impact; environmental auditing; community entitlement; compensatory measures; corporate social responsibility; displaced persons; environmental best practice; Environmental Impact Assessment; Environmental Management Plan; environmental licence; environmental offence; exploration; force majeure; grievance mechanism; inspection; large-scale mining; local community; mineral rights; mining activities; monitoring; social impact assessment; sustainable development. The Regulations provide for the application of the following principles: sustainability; polluter pays; precautionary principle; protection of affected communities; legal responsibility for environment; access to information; obligation to implement environment management instruments; public participation and consultation.
Matters covered by these Regulations include: strategic environmental and social assessment of artisanal mining areas, and related applications; requirement of Environmental Impact Assessment Licence for mining projects; responsibilities of mineral rights holder, including: mitigate and minimise any environmental impact and pollution while carrying on his mining operations; conduct consultations and negotiations with displaced persons and affected communities; ensure that his actions and operations in relation to the Local Community comply with all laws in force in Sierra Leone including international human rights instruments. Further matters include: assessment instruments; consent to use land for mining purposes; sustainable development interventions; environmental licence application; projects involving resettlement of local communities; obligations of an environmental licence holder, including: updating environmental and social impact assessment plans, financial assurance and restoration proposals; closure of mining activities; inspection of the integrity and safety of any fresh water dam. The Regulations detail: environmental quality standards; effluent and emission standards, their application; water quality and effluent discharges; standards of effluents; air quality standards; monitoring of effluents and emissions; penalties. The Regulations provide for control and supervision of mining activities; random inspection; enforcement measures; environmental offences and categories of penalties; notification and payment of fines.