Gold mining to kick-off in Kebbi, Osun this year, FG says

Director-General of the Nigerian Cadastre Office Malam Mohammad Amate yesterday said four foreign companies would begin mining of gold and iron ore in the country this year.

Amate made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said the mining activities of the companies would be carried out in Kebbi, Osun and Kogi states.

The Mines Geotechniques Nig. Ltd., an Australian firm, and Northern Numero Resources Ltd from the UK have been granted licenses to mine gold in Kebbi, he said.

The director-general said two other Australian companies; Segilola Nigeria Ltd and KCM Mining Ltd would mine gold in Osun and iron ore in Kogi respectively.

The companies had completed exploration programmes in areas approved for them and they would commence actual mining this year, he noted.

He explained that KCM Mining Ltd, which started exploration activities about four years ago in Kogi, completed the exercise last year and had delineated about 500 million tonnes of iron ore.

Segilola Nigeria Ltd, also an Australian company, would operate in Osun, and had concluded exploration programmes and had delineated more than one million ounces of gold there.

The director-general said the four firms were among 20 foreign companies granted mining exploration licences by the Federal Government.

Aside from Australia, he said, other firms from Canada, UK, Italy, China, Niger, India, South Africa and Ukraine had indicated intention to mine mineral resources in Nigeria, noting that some of the firms were at various levels of exploration.

“You can see the number of foreign companies that are coming to take exploration licences and have even carried out exploration programmes. We are now getting foreign mining companies that are coming to invest in Nigeria and it is a good thing for the industry,” he said.

He, however, added that “we insist that any company that wants to pick up a licence must employ qualified Nigerians and the companies are complying.’’ ( NAN)

PHOTO GODSWILL AYEMOBA From left: Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Christopher Inegbenoghu; Bishop of Velletri-Segni, Cardinal Francis Arinze and newly ordained priest, Rev. Fr. Christopher Mbamalu, during a thanksgiving mass for the later, yesterday in Abuja.