The Jupiter Lithium Project has received approval to commence mining of lithium in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria.
This followed an approval from the Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, to obtain critical licences for the Jupiter Lithium Project in Kaduna State.
This marks Nigeria’s first Tier One lithium and critical minerals mining operation. According to the statement, Range Mining Ltd and Basin Mining Ltd — joint developers of the Jupiter Lithium Project have finalised plans with the Kaduna State Government to explore Nigeria’s largest lithium, a swathe of 462 square kilometres lithium-rich terrain.
The $2.5billion investment is expected to create an additional 100,000 job opportunities.
“This approval represents a transformative leap for Nigeria,” said Ambassador Dr Hassan Tukur of Range Mining, highlighting the government’s commitment to strategic investments in sustainable resource development.
According to the minister, the Range Mining’s lithium operations will enhance technical skills, provide local employment, promote community engagement in line with President Tinubu’s goals in solar energy and electric vehicles.
The Managing Director of Kaduna Mining Development Company Ltd, Dr Mohammed Nura Sanu Usaini echoed these sentiments, stating the pivotal role of environmental sustainability and empowerment for residents in the host communities.
“The target is to produce an electric vehicle in this country. It’s a very important and significant project which, of course, conforms with the goals of the administration of His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State, Distinguished Senator Uba Sani,” he stated.
Dr Stephen Davis, director of Range’s parent company, Jupiter Lithium Ltd said “The concentrator plants to be built by Range on the mine site will generate additional employment opportunities for locals to be trained in new and modern mining technologies during construction and operations of the plants and we look forward to further engagement with the local communities achieving this outcome.
Operations manager at Range Ltd., Mr Lekan Olaniyan, said the “Decision to build the concentrator plants on the mine site will have significant benefits in relation to safety and the environment by substantially reducing the quantity of material that is transported away from the minesite.”
According to Olaniyan, the project has two major benefits for safety and environmental outcomes as almost 85% of the mined material can remain on site after it passes through the Concentrator Process Plant and can be reused in post-mining environmental rehabilitation.
