Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon Abubakar Bawa Bwari told Leadership Newspaper that the discovered nickel deposits run into over 1 million tonnes and can cough $400 billion for the country.
“Despite the collapse of global mineral and oil prices, nickel is still sold for as high as $10,000 dollars per tonne in the world market”, he said.
The minister explained that the discovery was only a surface exploration and that full exploration had yet to be carried out in the area, adding that exploration and exploitation could reveal more deposits. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Sir have the deposit been ascertained and what are the set out plan to explore this ore? And hope this can lead to other minerals properly explore at same time is their any plan soon to make sure this ores are refine to be able to earn more
ReplyDeleteNickel is a very cheap mineral in the global market but it can change the lives of the communities on whose territory it is found. A few things must be considered for this not be a curse like oil:
ReplyDelete1. If it is found in the Christian areas of Kaduna, the Muslim settlers shouldn't go and foment violence because that has always been the predicament of the indigenous, Christians and animist people of Kaduna; or put simply – non-Mohammedians.
2. Nigerian politicians should do an environmental impact assessment before exploring so that the future generations will not suffer the same fate as Niger Deltans, whose territories have become wastelands. Chemicals used in extracting the mineral should also be environmental friendly, especially cancer-free. Already, the host state, we learned recently is experiencing unprecedented earth tremors which can be exacerbated by this new-found mineral. Prevention is better than cure!
3. Government contractors should do a financial assessment to be sure that it is commercially viable in the long run so that they do not, out of excitement and greed, mislead FG to pump in billions only for them to mismanage it and then claim that it is not a feasible venture, because like I mentioned earlier, Nickel is a cheap mineral ore in the international market. It is the element used in making the second lowest US currency denomination, the Nickel. Of course, it has its value as an anti-corrosive element as it is a remarkable anti-corrosion agent – a reason why the US five cents glisters in spite of wide use and circulation
4. The land owners should be parties to any MOU signed between government and international parties or else they (indigenes will go the way of ND people).
Experience is the best teacher!