Kaduna State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Buba, has revealed that the administration of Governor Uba Sani has established Nigeria’s first lithium processing plant at Kangimi village along the Kaduna-Jos Road.
Speaking at the quarterly ministerial press briefing in Kaduna, Commissioner Buba confirmed the facility has the capacity to process over 30,000 tonnes of lithium daily. He noted that Kaduna State is endowed with more than 70 varieties of solid minerals, including lithium, gold, tin, coltan, wolframite, titanium and iron ore.
The commissioner further disclosed that the Kaduna Mining Development Company has acquired 18 additional mineral exploration licences as part of the state’s strategic development of its mining sector. He explained that Governor Sani’s administration is actively repositioning the solid minerals industry to increase revenue generation, create employment opportunities and regulate mining activities by attracting foreign investment partners to curb illegal mining operations.
On environmental matters, Commissioner Buba announced that Kaduna State has developed both a comprehensive climate change policy and an official position statement on environmental protection. The establishment of the lithium processing plant marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s mining sector, positioning Kaduna State as a pioneer in mineral beneficiation and value-added processing within the country.
He said that the state is the first sub-national that has produced both the policy and position statement in Nigeria, adding that, ‘’a lot of states have done the policy document, but Kaduna State is the first to come out with the two.’’
‘’We have trained and empowered 500 youths and women on briquette making in collaboration with Kaduna Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project,’’ Buba said.
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