By Morris S. Karneh, LINA Grand Cape Mount County Correspondent
SINJI TOWN, April 13 (LINA) –The Vice President of Liberia, Jeremiah Kpan Koung, over the weekend paid a one-day working visit to the mining site of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation (BMMC) in Kinjor Town, Grand Cape Mount County.
According to the Office of the Vice President, the visit was aimed at assessing the company’s operations and inspecting its facilities amid plans to expand its activities across the country.
It is being reported that the BMMC’s proposed expansion seeks to increase ore processing capacity from four million metric tons to eight million metric tons annually, a move expected to significantly boost gold production.
During the tour, Vice President Koung gained firsthand insight into the operations of the multi-million-dollar mining company. He visited key sections of the facility, including the mining pit, the monitoring room, and the gold smelting unit.
At the gold smelting unit, officials of the company also revealed that the company currently produces approximately 900 kilograms of gold per month.
However, the disclosure has sparked public concern across the country with citizens of Grand Cape Mount County being the loudest.
There has been a growing call for a review of the Mineral Development Agreement governing the company’s operations.
Following the inspection, Vice President Koung held a closed-door meeting with the management of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation.
Speaking briefly to the press afterward, he expressed concern over the apparent absence of Liberians working in the smelting room, which is the final and most critical stage of gold processing.
The Liberian Vice President, however, cited that the matter will be looked into thoroughly as the smelting room is a key place to determine the quantity of gold that is produced annually.
He assured the public that the issues observed during the visit would be addressed as part of the government’s commitment to ensuring foreign investment in the country.
The operations of BMMC in Liberia date back to 2001, when the company signed its first Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the Liberian government under former President Charles Ghankay Taylor for the mining of gold and diamonds.
Twelve years later, in 2013, the company and the government then led by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf entered into a Restated and Amended MDA.
The Bea Mountain Mining Corporation had its Mineral Development Agreement extended in 2023, allowing the company to continue its mining operations in Liberia for an additional period.