{
  "id": 9575232,
  "title": "EPA shuts down Earl International mining operation at Gbane over environmental breaches",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/epa-shuts-down-earl-international-mining-operation-at-gbane-over",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-24T15:24:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/epa-shuts-down-earl-international-mining-operation-at-gbane-over-environmental-breaches/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has ordered the immediate shutdown of Earl International Mining Limited's underground gold mining and processing facility at Gbane, located in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region. This decision came after the EPA identified numerous breaches of environmental regulations, including the company's failure to adhere to corrective measures outlined in previous notices. The closure notice, issued on September 22, 2026, highlighted that Earl International had continued operations despite outstanding environmental compliance issues, operating without a valid Environmental Permit since February 2023. The company had also neglected to post the required Reclamation Bond and had commenced construction on new facilities without obtaining necessary environmental approvals, such as underground shafts, an expanded processing plant, a solar farm, and staff accommodation. Furthermore, the EPA expressed concerns about the company's use of an un-engineered Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), citing risks of groundwater contamination due to the lack of required reclamation measures. The TSF, currently at five cells, had been divided with tailings deposition completed in the first three cells without proper dust control. The EPA also noted Earl International's discharge of underground water into the external environment without proper monitoring, which could negatively impact surface water bodies and community boreholes. This discharge violated the Environmental Protection (Effluent) Regulations, 2025 (LI 2506), and the Ghana Standards for Environment and Health Protection. The EPA had previously directed the company to obtain an engineered TSF permit and install monitoring equipment on the TSF embankments. Despite company representatives reducing the administrative fee from US$2 million to US$1 million, the EPA suspended the company's Environmental Permit, citing the company's failure to comply with directives and concerns over the protection of its mining concession from illegal mining activities.",
  "summary": "The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has ordered Earl International Mining Limited to immediately cease all operations at its underground gold mining and processing facility at Gbane in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region. The directive, contained in a closure notice dated September 22, 2026, follows what the EPA described as the company’s failure to comply with corrective…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}