The Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office said on
Monday that six foreign mining companies and
Dangote Group of Companies would commence
mining of gold, iron ore, coal and lead/zinc in
2015.
The Director-General of the Office, Mr
Mohammed Amate, made the disclosure in an
interview with Newsmen Agency in Abuja.
Amate said the companies were Kogi Mines Ltd,
Segilola Nig. Ltd and Mines Geotechniques Nig.
Ltd.
Others are Northern Numero Resources Ltd,
West African Polaris Investment Ltd. and Tongyi
Allied and Mineral Services Ltd.
He said Kogi Mines; an Australia Mining
Company based in Kogi had concluded
exploration programmes, adding that it would
commence mining of iron ore in Agbaja in the
state in 2015.
Amate said that the company had completed its
four-year exploration and that it had delineated
more than 500 million tonnes of iron ore.
He said Segilola Nig. Ltd would also begin
mining of gold in Iperindo area of the IIesha
Schist belt of Osun.
Amate said that so far, the companies had also
carried out the same exercise and delineated
more than one million ounces of gold in the area.
He said that Mines Geotechniques Nig. Ltd and
Northern Numero Resources Ltd, both Australian
companies and would begin mining of gold this
year in Kebbi.
Amate said the Federal Government had last
year signed Memorandum of Understanding with
the companies to commence mining t in the
state.
He disclosed that Dongote would conclude its
coal exploration in 2015 and was expected to
immediately commence mining of coal in Kogi
and Benue.
He said that Dangote had been working toward
commencing coal mining in both states, adding
that the company held mining titles covering
limestone, coal and gypsum.
The director-general said the West African
Polaris Investment Ltd, a Chinese company,
would commence mining of tin and columbite in
Nasarawa State.
He said the Tongyi Allied and Mineral Services
Ltd, another Chinese company, would begin
mining of lead/zinc in Wasa, Plateau State.
Amate said the two companies would commence
major mining operation in various locations in the
two states as they have delineated their
reserves.
He further said that 169 Small Scale Mining
Companies had already begun mining gemstone,
gold, lead/zinc, columbite/Tantalite among others
across the country.
Amate advised the miners to carry out their
operations legally, pay their fees promptly to the
government as well as reclaiming mines sites
after activities as provided by the law.
He also warned miners not to discharge any
harmful materials into any environment that
could pose danger to lives.
“If you are discharging anything you make sure
that you discharge safety. You make sure you
check the acidic, PH value. Do not discharge
anything harmful,’’ he stressed.
He said Nigeria had been losing a lot of money
to illegal mining but the government had put in
place measures to checkmate the challenge.
“A lot of gemstones are being smuggled and a
lot of other minerals are being smuggled out of
this country,’’ he told newsmen.

Good for him.. Source ?