Minister of Solid Minerals discloses plan for Mining Cooperation

Nigeria’s Minster of Solid Minerals ,Dele Alake has highlighted plans to set up the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation as the interface between the global mining industry and Nigeria adding that the laws permit investors to take profits out.

The Minister stated this at the exhibition booth of the Ministry at the fourth session of the 21st Africa Down Under conference in Perth, Australia.

Presenting a mining roadmap for investment in the country’s mining industry, He said a major plan to show the government’s readiness to assist investors is the massive investment into geoscientic invesigation of the country’s minerals, their grade and quantum to enable investors project with greater certainty the costs of their investments and the profits they can make.

Mr. Alake, added that, a major plan to show the government’s readiness to assist investors to the massive investment into geoscientic invesigation of the country’s minerals, their grade and quantum to enable them project with greater certainty of their investments and the profits they can make.

The Minister assured investors of safety, reiterating that the government has given illegal miners thirty days to join co-operatives in addition to deploy surveillance taskforce and mine police to combat criminals at the mines.

“Nigeria is open for business and with our ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector I can assure every investor that comes to our country of conducive operating environment and good returns on their investments,” the Minister said.

Speaking on the battery minerals making waves in the automobile industries, Lithium.

Mr. Alake said, the progress made by investors such as Basin Limited in their Jupiter project, mining lithium in the North and Lithium King investments in the South West confirm reports of Nigeria as the most profitable destination for the precious mineral.

Backing the Minister’s claim in their presentations on the Jupiter project, Dr. Stevens Davies and partner, Mr. Hugh Morgan of Basin Limited disclosed that lithium deposits in several parts of Nigeria occur close to the surface requiring mainly quarrying for excavation.

They said their company is working on a nickel project that has shown good prospects in Nigeria.

Responding, investors hailed the proposed Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation as a step in the right direction.

A Mining investor, Mr. David Gardner, based in United Kingdom and Ghana told the Minister in a meeting after the session how the roadmap has re-ignited his interest to invest in Nigeria.

Other investors at the mining forum include Director, RM Capital Mr.Guy Le Page, Head, Procurement, Distribution & Marketing, CTA Group; Mr Ossama Aasriou, Chairman, Stakeholder Engagement, African Mining Professionals Association of Australia, Mr.Mark Atta-Danso, Managing Director, Innov-Africa, Mr. Smart Bateman, Managing Director, TAMIPA, Mr. Oumar Baba Sy, Business Development Manager, David Abott , Business Development Managxer,Intertek,Australia, Xcalibur and Mr.Doug Horak,

Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake discussing investment in mining in Nigeria with Managing Director, Basin Nigeria Limited, Dr.Steven Davies during the fourth session of the Africs Down Under mining conference in Perth, Austrralia.