Kaduna nickle: Australian miners confirm quality of gemstones
The initial fear that the exploration of the high grade nickel discovered at Dangoma village, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State last year may take a long time has been dispelled.
At the height of the crisis in the southern senatorial district of Kaduna some months back, the state government had imposed curfew on three of the local government areas, including Jema’a, and only lifted it on Wednesday when the state Security Council reviewed the situation.
Due to the crisis and other security issues, many investors pulled out of the area, with the fear that the multi-billion naira investments in ginger, potato and the nickel may be jeopardised.
The state governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai had to caution the people of the area against taking actions that could lead to the loss of jobs and other socio-economic gains expected from such activities.
But last week, Hugh Morgan, the Australian miner who headed the team exploring for gemstones in Kaduna and later discovered the high grade nickel at Dangoma, made good his promise as he returned to the village.
His return brought fresh hopes to the community, that the miners have not abandoned the sites, and that very soon, all the expected benefits would start rolling in.
Morgan, who works in an Australian company, Comet, came with the result of his research into the sample of the nickels the company found last year. He said that after months of study and evaluation with the samples of the mineral deposits, it had been confirmed that the Dangoma nickels was of high grade as indicated by the elementary observation done at the site last year.
He said that based on research, the nickel found at Kagoma was the highest in quality, with 90 per cent high grade, and the first of its kind in the world.
During his visit to the palace of the Tum Nikyob, Mr. Tanko Tete, in Bakin Kogi Kaninkon, and the district head of Dangoma, Mahmuda Sulaiman, Morgan