The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has warned illegal miners against working in abandoned mine pits, following the death of seven persons in a collapsed pit at Kassa in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Lara Owoeye-Wise in Abuja.
The statement describes the incident as tragic and preventable, saying the victims could have avoided the danger by forming a cooperative and obtaining the required mining permit.
It urges artisanal miners across the country to operate legally, saying licensed miners would have access to training and other support from the Ministry.
According to the statement, the Minister also calls on investors to partner with the Federal Government to turn abandoned mine pits into productive ventures in energy, tourism and fisheries.
The statement says Plateau State has more than 4,000 abandoned tin mine pits, adding that the Ministry had already rehabilitated 59 of them.
It stresses that the Ministry is working with private partners to use satellite mapping and Artificial Intelligence to identify and assess the abandoned pits and develop plans for their rehabilitation.
The statement urges investors interested in the projects to contact the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, the Ministry’s Mines and Environmental Compliance Department and the Solid Minerals Development Fund.
According to the statement, the Minister also states that the Federal Government had activated the Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Fund to ensure mining companies provide money for the rehabilitation of mine sites after operations.
It says the initiative will help prevent abandoned mine pits from becoming dangerous sites and transform them into productive economic assets.
