The policy of the deoartment is primarily to conserve and develop the forest areas so as to protect the soil and water resources. The forest related areas in Sierra Leone are located in Kenema, Panguma and Tongo fields in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. These sawmills produce sawn timber. The industries manufacture a wide range of timber products. The principal minerals are diamonds, gold, rutile and bauxite.
Diamonds are the most important export earner.
Official diamond reports have been declining steadily as a result of the depletion of alluvial deposits. Export of rutile and bauxite have increased over the past few years but have not been a source of additional government revenue. Diamond and gold exports which have been traded in the parallel market, are not taxed and constitute an important form of capital flight. The Minerals Act of Sierra Leone which controls the operating of mining companies is intended to standardise the regulations governing the exploitation of mineral resources in the country by prospective investors. When the NPRC governmant came into power in 1992, the department of Marine resources was created.