The Federal government yesterday raised hopes of a major break-through in
the country's effort developing alternative mineral resource aside
from oil and gas, when it revealed the discovery of gold to the depth
of 3,000 meters with an estimated two million ounces in the Western
part of Nigeria.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development,
Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke who disclosed this at the presentation of
the World Bank-sponsored Nigerian Airborne Geophysical Survey Data
phase II in Abuja, said the import of the latest development is that
Nigeria may well be on her way to joining countries like Ghana in
supplying gold to the world market.
According to Madueke, a coring
done last year by the small mining companies, to the depth of 3,000
meters, has proved more than 300,000 ounces, with 2 million ounces
estimated,
“ The importance of this fantastic piece of news is
probably best appreciated within the context of the knowledge that
Nigeria has gold schist belts in the western half of the country that
are very similar to those of Ghana”, she said.
She said surveys
have shown that Nigeria is richly endowed with a range of solid
minerals which if properly managed and exploited may in the near future
become the engine of our national economic growth.
She said the
Ministry has decided to place special focus on seven of the minerals
which includes, bitumen/tar sand with estimated reserves of 27bn
barrels of oil equivalent, coal (2.7 billion tonnes), iron ores (3
billion tonnes), limestone (2.23 billion tonnes), barytes (14 million
tonnes) and lead/zinc sulphides one million tonnes) .
Madueke
described the completion of the geophysical survey phase II as
something that would facilitate mineral exploration, ground water
prospecting, pollution and geo-hazard monitoring.
“The survey
also measures the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Shuttle Radar
Topographic Mission (SRIM) which provide detailed information on
terrains, vegetations, landforms, settlements, roads and drainages.
The data is therefore extremely useful in security surveilance and
development planning”, she said.
The Minister further said plans
are underway geological, mineral and geo-chemical mapping of the
country with a view to providing all the necessary data needed to
adequately tap the mineral resources to our economic advantage.
She
said the Ministry is putting in place a genstone certification process,
adding that it has reached aggreement with internationally renowned
Nigeria-born Jeweler to design a Jewelry line, using exclusively
Nigerian gemstones.
This line of Jewelry will be launched for the international and domestic market in March this year, she said.
Earlier,
the geologist involved in the preparation the survey data, Prof.
Collins Reeves said a mechanism will be put in place to enable
interested scientists to study, interpret and analyse the geophysical
survey data and that the outcome of their study will be made public
next year.
He said the experience of Brazil could be helpful in Nigeria quest for effective utilization of solid mineral resources.
Source: This Day
GOLD DISCOVERED IN NIGERIA (SOUTH WEST)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tajudeen Alabede on
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@Affoh: Thanks for the compliment.
AFFOH JOSEPH said:i love your post, i think we need more of this
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@Akinbade: Thanks for the observation and suggestion. However, it shouldn't be difficult to see that the contribution wasn't about negativism. It was a statement of reality. Besides, it wasn't a bareboned criticism: recommendation was made at the end. Check it out and reflect on it. Thanks.
Akinbade oluwasanmi said:The typical Nigerian Elitist Citizenship that will sing Negativity and do nothing but be pessimistic. What should we do POSITIVELY SHOULD BE THE QUESTION IN OUR MINDS.... AND THEN WE ANSWER THEM ON THIS FORUM.
Tajudeen Alabede said:Old fact. No news. Good news. Bad news.
Anybody who had lived in the old Oyo State, as i did, would find the news stale. We've always known about the presence of gold in Ilesha. So it isn't any news to the hear. The new facts are statistics about quantity and quality.
Good news because Nigeria would now have an opportunity to diversify the mono-culture economy that has unduly relied on oil wealth. May more money to the Federal Government. But who killed all the other wealth-bearing opportunities: groundnut, rubber, cocoa, etc?
Bad news. Hope the gold-producing area won't be turned to another battlefield birthing its own freedom fighters, militants and criminals. May be a new Gold Producing Area Development Commission (GOPADEC) that will 'develop' the commissioners and their godfathers first. Another battle for derivation fund and debate about fiscal federalism.
Bad news. May be more money for the corrupt leaders for whom all roads lead to their pockets.
I think Nigeria will do better by building a knowledge economy rather than the reliance on the extractive industry. God bless Nigeria.
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Permalink Reply by Charles Ugochukwu Okere on
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Good news indeed! it is just an addition to the many mineral resouces that God deposited in this country. God blessed this country abundantly and if one of the many natural resources is used judiciosly, poverty will never be felt in this country. My dear, the problem is not with discovery, it is just one out of the many, but the problem is management of the resources. The big question is: how well have we managed the ones that are being tapped presently? Take oil for instance, to what extent has it bettered the life of an average Nigerian? The rich gets richer by the day, while the poor gets poorer. So while we thank God for the gold deposites, we are pretty sure that its exploration, will not in any way be better than oil exploration in the Niger Delta. It is going to be another tale of woes for the people, in whose land it was discovered. May God help us.
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Good news as it sounds, but another devastating episode for the South West. Are they going to be better than the Niger Deltans. We are abudantely blessed with mineral resoures but yet 85% Nigerians are living in squalor. The problem is not with discovery but management. So the discovery is an extension of weath for wealthy and extension of poverty for the poor. Nigeria we hail thee!
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Permalink Reply by Olajide on
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GOOD NEWS
I hope we'll make judicious use of the revenue which will be generated from this mineral exploration. I hope what happened in time past will not recur in this present situation. It's actually a good news that more and more highly lucrative mineral resources are discovered in Nigeria. This means Nigeria alone has resources which some continents are not having. I wish the Scientists all the best in their exploration. ......
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Permalink Reply by Odoh E. Joshua on
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I'm half happy with the news because the same way our crude oil is been privatized instead of governmentized will be the same with the gold. it has been discovered at Ilesha, Niger state and some other state before but not in large quantity, my fellow Nigerians how you managed the little you have will determine how the bigger one will be managed. God has blessed Nigeria with both little and large but who are those managing those blessings of God; So don't be over excited on discovered or not discovered but be excited on how we have been managing the one discovered.
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My German friend once said that if Germany was as blessed as Nigeria is, they (Germans) would have been living in another planet. According to him, Nigeria is lucky, blessed and has a special place with God, but sadly, the government is extremely selfish. This wholly explains the situation in the country. Like I said before, we can explore all the minerals in the world, but what happens to the revenues is the big question. How does a commom man benefit from the God-given resources? Let us hope that someday, God will bring the much expected salvation.
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Permalink Reply by felix osunde on
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great new developments ; its shows more blessings from god almighty on Nigeria as nation and on Nigerians as people; the big questions is ; will this gift ; be use to change the lives of Nigerians in general and the immediate communities, we are all witness to the current situations rocking the nations and mineral producing communities in the country; for over thirty years of Nigeria producing and selling crude oil, Nigerian are still the poorest among nations on GDP LEVELS; while the average income is less than 450 dollars P A ;LEVELS; AND ABOVE ALL 130 MILLIONS NIGERIAN CAN NOT AFFORD PERSONAL HOUSE BY THE YEAR 2020 OR EVEN 2050. is it a cause ; that we work big and eat small; no , i do not think and believed so ; we have had vision less leaders all this while; the Hausa s, the Yoruba, igbos, and all minorities in this great nations have all betrayed god ; and humanity, and particular . Nigerians and common sense;
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