Mercury Law, 1989

1. Any person who- Pogscssian etc. ofmer- (a) imports any quantity of mercur)' into the co-untry; or cury with- out iicence. (b) has in his possession or buys, sells or transfers any mercury, except under a licence issued under tllis Law sball be guilty of.an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not ex.ceedmg ¢2,000,000. 00 or to a term of imprisoruuent not c-xceeding two years or to both. l. (1) The Secretary for Trade may issue a licence to any person Power to grant·and flUthorising hilll to, import into the country, possess, buy, sell or deal revoke in mercury, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the licence. licence. (2) The Secretary for Trade may, at apytime cancel any licence issued by him under this Law if he is satisfied that- (a) the licensee is in breach of any of the terms and condi- tions of the licence or this T l'IW; or (h) it. is in the national interest to do so. 3, Any person who- Buying 11nd transforrini (a) buys or receives any mercury from a person not autho- IUC1'001')' rised to sell or deal in mercury; or from or to unauthori- (b) sells or transfers any mercury to a person not authorised sed person. to buy or have possession of mercury, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on convic.'ion be liable to a fine not exceeding ~2,000,000,0-0 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

4. (l) Notwithstanding anything contained in any enactment to Small.scale tp.e contrary licensed small~scale gold mineu may pmcbnse from ,;rn,ltl miners licensed mercury dealers such reasonable quantities of mercury as to authorised possess n:iay be shown to be necessary for the purpose of their mining opera- mercury. tions. _ (2) Small-.scale gold miners spall obse.1.ye good mining practices tt1 the use ot mercury for carryrng out mming operations.

5. Any small~scale miner who- Offences an;J (a:) sells or deals in mercury; punishment. (b} ii!> fo"n...t 1.u t-m lu, -possession or more mercury than he reasonably rcgu ires for his mining: op_erations; or (c) does not observe good mining practices in the use of mercury for his mining operations, P.N.D.C,L, 217. 2 MERCURY LAW, 1989 shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding i22,000,000, 00 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both, cuicella• 6. (1) The court before which any person who holds a mercury tion of li~nce by licence is convicted of an offence under this Law may order such ,·oort and licence to be cancelled. forfeiture, (2) Any quantity of ll1¢roury with rcal?'cct t<> which Wl offence has been committed under this Law shall by order of the court be forfeited to the State. Burdo11of 7. In any proceedings under this Law. the burden shall be on the proor. person charged for dealing in orpos,essi:ng mercury to prove that he bolds a valid licence to possess or deal in such mercury. Repeal. 8, The Mercury Ordinance (Cap. 184) is hereby repealed. lrrtttrpre~ 9. In this La.w unless the context otherwise requires- tatioit, "mercury i t means the metal known as mercury.or quick :silver. Made this 19th day of April, 1989. FLT,-LT, JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS Chairman of the Provtstanal Na1Jonal Defence Coullcif Date of Gazette notification: 19th May, 1989.