Hurien Mining: Gbarney Creek Pollution Sparks Water Crisis in Liberia

• Over 1,300 residents in Gbarney, Bong County, rely on a single hand pump after banning themselves from a creek they believe Hurien Mining contaminated in 2024.
• Residents report skin diseases and prolonged diarrhea, with some alleging deaths, though these health claims remain medically unconfirmed.
• Hurien Mining's human resources officer acknowledged potential contact between underground mining and water, urging EPA testing to determine the source of any contamination.
• The company faced multiple regulatory shutdowns in March and May for issues including an expired environmental permit, improper hazardous chemical management, and exceeding its mining license.
• No official body has tested the creek water or linked the reported illnesses to it, despite the company's documented history of chemical handling violations.

Despite multiple regulatory shutdowns for chemical mismanagement, no official body has yet confirmed the link between Hurien Mining's operations and the alleged contamination of Gbarney creek.

Residents of Gbarney, a town in Bong County's Jorquelleh District, are grappling with a severe shortage of safe drinking water, relying on a single functional hand pump for a population exceeding 1,300 people. This critical situation has persisted for two years, ever since the community collectively decided to stop drawing water from a nearby creek, which they allege has been contaminated by Hurien Mining Company operations. The town, comprising approximately 365 households, possesses three hand pumps in total, but two frequently run dry, and the sole operational pump often ceases to function after only a few individuals have utilized it.

Historically, the creek served as a vital supplementary water source for the community until 2024. However, Town Chief Oldman Dulkly reported that the waterway, which traverses the mining company's operational zone, became contaminated that year. This alleged Hurien Mining Gbarney creek pollution is believed by residents to be responsible for outbreaks of skin disease and prolonged diarrhea within the town. Dulkly further claimed that several individuals, including children, fell ill and died after consuming water from the creek before the community recognized its unsafe condition, though these health incidents have not been medically confirmed by any health authority.

The community's concerns about Bong County water contamination are deeply rooted in the belief that chemicals from the mining activities have infiltrated the local water system. Resident Zackel Kulpur explicitly stated that substances used in the mining process have reached underground water sources, rendering the creek polluted. Consequently, residents now restrict the creek's use to bathing and washing, in an effort to conserve the limited supply from the hand pumps. Dulkly has advised residents to boil creek water extensively before bathing, yet skin rashes reportedly persist.

In response to these serious accusations, Lawrence Sumo, the human resources officer for Hurien Mining Company, acknowledged that the company's underground mining operations could potentially come into contact with subterranean water. However, he emphasized that neither he nor the local residents possess the expertise to definitively resolve the question of contamination without a scientific assessment. Sumo urged the community to formally request the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct water testing to identify the source of any pollution, stating that he could not confirm or deny the company's culpability prior to an official investigation. He also called for calm and expressed the company's intention to initiate discussions with the community.

While the direct link between Hurien Mining's operations and the alleged Gbarney creek pollution remains scientifically unconfirmed, the company has faced significant regulatory scrutiny and penalties throughout the current year, highlighting broader Liberia Hurien Mining environmental violations. In May, the Liberia EPA shut down the company due to multiple infractions, including operating with an expired environmental permit, improper management and storage of obsolete and hazardous chemicals, and failing to obtain the necessary chemical registration and importation licenses. The EPA stated these actions constituted a breach of Liberia's guidelines governing chemical importation, transportation, handling, and storage.

These environmental violations followed earlier regulatory actions. In March, the Ministry of Mines and Energy issued a shutdown order, citing a systemic failure by the mining company to comply with established mining law. Concurrently, the House Committee on Lands, Mines and Energy suspended Hurien Mining in the same month after determining that the company had exceeded the scope of its Class B license. These regulatory findings, while not directly establishing the cause of the creek's alleged contamination, unequivocally demonstrate a pattern of mining company regulatory non-compliance, particularly concerning chemical management and operational permits.

Despite the community's strong assertions and the company's history of regulatory issues, no official agency has conducted tests on the Gbarney creek water, and no health authority has medically confirmed a link between the reported illnesses or deaths and the alleged contamination. The regulatory record, however, clearly indicates that the agency responsible for environmental oversight has twice found Hurien Mining handling chemicals in violation of legal requirements. This situation underscores significant environmental and social governance (ESG) risks for mining companies operating in Liberia, particularly regarding water contamination and chemical management.

Residents are now appealing to the national government to compel Hurien Mining to remediate the creek and address the persistent water scarcity in Gbarney. The lack of scientific investigation into the alleged Hurien Mining Gbarney creek pollution, coupled with documented Liberia EPA chemical handling violations, highlights a critical gap in environmental oversight and enforcement that could lead to further litigation and regulatory penalties for non-compliant entities.

This case highlights the significant environmental and social governance (ESG) risks, including potential litigation and regulatory penalties, for mining companies operating in Liberia, particularly concerning water contamination and chemical management. Compliance officers should review their company's environmental permits and chemical handling protocols to mitigate similar exposures.

Source: Original reporting via Liberian Investigator