Sierra Leone's legal framework is very much a case of "one-step forward, two-steps back"; throughout the law we find examples of positive principles being subsequently undermined by pockets of government discretion or excessive government control over the industry. Whilst the country's troubled history may well explain a cautious and controlling approach and even justify to some extent a certain distrust of miners in Sierra Leone, a new era of mining (bringing with it the potential for positive change and increased revenue for the country) is unlikely to prosper under the current legislation.