Mines and Minerals Development Act, no. 16 of 2023.

This Act provides for introducing new and improved provisions for exploration, mines and minerals development, sale and export for the socio-economic benefit of the people of Sierra Leone; facilitating transparent and accountable management of the mineral sector in accordance with international best practice; ensuring improved employment and employment and welfare practices in the mineral sector; reducing the harmful effects of exploration and mining activities on life, property and the environment, and thus applies to: onshore and offshore minerals; reconnaissance, exploration, mining, dealing and exporting of all categories of minerals; and water resources relevant to aquifer manage ment and hydrogeology and deep seabed mining. The Act defines the following relevant terms: affected community; artisanal mining; artisanal mining licence; artisanal mining licence area; cadastral map; commercial production; compensation; continental shelf; deep sea mining; dredging; environmental impact assessment; environmental impact assessment licence; environmental and social management plan; environmental screening report; exploration; exploration licence; exploration plan; geodata; health and safety plan; land; large-scale mining; lease; licence activity; mine; mine closure plan; minerals; mining; mining operations; mining cadastre system; Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority; programme of exploration operations; programme of mining operations; quarry; radioactive mineral; land rehabilitation; reserved area; resettlement action plan; small-scale mining; surface rights agreement.
The Act covers the following matters: ownership of minerals and strategic minerals; ministerial responsibility for administration of minerals governance; role of the National Minerals Agency for ensuring technical support to Ministry; mining cadastre office and system; mineral areas and excluded lands; designation of public land as reserved area for minerals exploration; issuance of application for mining operations; public tender; surface rights and obligations; compensation for disturbance of rights or damage to land; right to use land obtained by the holder of a large scale mining licence and distribution of surface rent; procedural matters concerning licences; issuance of licence for exploration, artisanal mining, small-scale and large-scale mining; prohibitions concerning sale and possession of radioactive minerals; dealers and exporters licence; measures for ensuring protection of the environment, including: submission of an annual report on environmental and social impacts and mitigation actions, authorisations from Environmental Protection Agency before issuing licences, prohibition to divert any water course; environmental requirements for renewal of licence; general obligation to promote community development; community development fund; promoting conditions for safe operation and a healthy working environment; rights and duties of employees and affiliates; social protection measures; financial provisions; identification of cultural or archaeological relics; offences and penalties; measures against child labour and for ensuring protection of human rights; dispute resolution mechanism.