Author: Stanley A

The Edo State Government has partnered with the Women in Mining Association to promote sustainable practices and prioritise health and safety in the mining sector.This collaboration took centre stage at a one-day seminar themed “Environmental Hazards in Mining Sites and Health Management for Miners,” held at the Ministry of Mining’s Conference Hall in Benin City.The event brought together key stakeholders including Hon. Andrew Ijegbai, Edo State Commissioner for Mining; Mrs. Omoruyi Ese Martina, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry; officials from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals; geologists; and civil servants from relevant departments.Commissioner Ijegbai commended the initiative and reaffirmed the…

The House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals has issued a stern warning to quarry operators across the country, threatening to recommend the revocation of mining licences for companies operating illegally or ignoring official summons.Chairman of the committee, Hon. Jonathan Gbefwi, who represents Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency in Nasarawa State, gave the warning during an investigative hearing into the operations of mining firms in Nigeria.Gbefwi directed two firms—Arab Contractors and Omatek—to either present valid documentation authorising their quarry activities or shut down immediately.He condemned the conduct of some quarry companies who failed to respond to the committee’s invitations, describing their actions…

Governor Uba Sani is repositioning Kaduna State’s solid minerals sector to generate more revenue, create jobs, and curb the menace of illegal mining by bringing in foreign investors.This was disclosed by the Commissioner of Environment and Natural Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Buba, during the quarterly ministerial press briefing held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.He revealed that the State Government has engaged Core International Marketing and Management Ltd to develop a Mining Development Roadmap for Kaduna State.According to Alhaji Abubakar, the State raked in ₦30 million from the mining sector in the last two quarters of 2024, with higher projections set for…

The General Manager of Borno Mining Company Ltd (BOMICOL), Mallam Aminu Muhammad Chamalwa has stressed the critical importance of local community collaboration and security engagement in the state’s mining sector.In an exclusive interview with Nigerian Mining, Chamalwa reiterated that traditional leaders are instrumental to sustainable mining activities.“In any mining activity, the paramount among stakeholders are the security and traditional areas,” he said. “The traditional leaders are people closer to the community…you have to go through them, sit with them, just to avoid any trouble.”Borno State, which is divided into three senatorial zones—North, Central, and South, has seen most mining activities…

Usman Muhammad Hamidu, a seasoned gold vendor with over three decades of experience, has cautioned the public to exercise extreme care when buying gold jewellery, warning that the market is flooded with deceptive practices and counterfeit products.In an interview with Nigerian Mining, Hamidu stressed that knowledge and caution are the buyer’s best defence in today’s complex gold market.“Gold plated is not gold,” he emphasised. “Yes, it can be sold as real gold to someone who doesn’t know anything. That’s why it’s important to know a legit shop.”Hamidu, who has been in the gold and jewellery business since the late 1980s,…

A tragic accident at a mining site in Tarken Township, Gbeapo Statutory District, River Gee County, claimed the life of a 36-year-old man and left another seriously injured after a tree suddenly fell on them on Friday, April 11.The deceased, Dennis Gbayor, had been resting beneath the tree following hours of labour at the site when it unexpectedly collapsed, killing him instantly. Gbayor, originally from Nimba County, had recently moved to Tarken Town with his fiancée in pursuit of better opportunities in the local gold mining sector.On the day of the incident, Gbayor had been helping his friend, 25-year-old Daniel…

Illegal mining remains one of the most significant threats to Nigeria’s mineral resources sector. Despite the country’s vast endowment of valuable minerals, the nation continues to suffer staggering losses—economically, environmentally, and socially—due to unregulated and illicit mining activities.Joe Edet, Vice Chancellor of Arthur Jarvis University and former Senior Special Adviser on Mineral Resources to Cross River State, outlines a comprehensive strategy to confront this challenge and put an end to illegal mining. Below is a breakdown of his insights and recommendations.1. Nigeria’s Rich Mineral Resources Are Under Threat2. Devastating Environmental and Health Effects3. Economic Losses and Unfair Competition4. Social and…

Malam Yaya Zaki, a senior official who conducted research for the Abuja-based Non-Governmental Organisation, Search for Common Ground, some years ago, noted that the security situation in Nigeria’s middle-belt region has changed significantly. Zaki’s research, which focused on conflicts between Fulani pastoralists and farmers in nine local governments across Nasarawa, Plateau, and Kaduna States, involved more than 10 million people. He observed that while the region once experienced conflicts primarily between farmers and herders, the nature of the violence has evolved in recent years.Zaki explained that what is happening now is no longer a mere farmer/herder conflict, but rather the…

The Women Miners in Nigeria (WMIN) have urged the federal government to enforce strict compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) law, calling it a necessary measure to curb environmental degradation caused by mining activities.Speaking in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National President of the association, Mrs Janet Adeyemi, stressed the need for mining companies to submit EIA reports before beginning any operations.“Before any mining activity begins, companies should be made to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as mandated by law,” Adeyemi said.She explained that enforcing this provision would help reduce pollution and…

The Mining Marshals, a security unit established by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, have successfully shut down an illegal mining operation in the Rafin-Gabas community of Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. The operation, confirmed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, marks a significant milestone in the government’s ongoing crackdown on illegal mining.In a press statement released on Thursday by Alake’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, Nigerian Mining learned that the Marshals dismantled the illegal site and arrested three foreign nationals involved in the illicit activities. Reports indicate that the site had long evaded law…