Nigeria’s Gold Mineral Potential Huge, Says FG
From Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, 01.27.2010

The Federal government yesterday raised hopes of a major break-through in the country's effort developing alternative mineral resource aside from oil and gas, when it revealed the discovery of gold to the depth of 3,000 meters with an estimated two million ounces in the Western part of Nigeria.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke who disclosed this at the presentation of the World Bank-sponsored Nigerian Airborne Geophysical Survey Data phase II in Abuja, said the import of the latest development is that Nigeria may well be on her way to joining countries like Ghana in supplying gold to the world market.
According to Madueke, a coring done last year by the small mining companies, to the depth of 3,000 meters, has proved more than 300,000 ounces, with 2 million ounces estimated,

“ The importance of this fantastic piece of news is probably best appreciated within the context of the knowledge that Nigeria has gold schist belts in the western half of the country that are very similar to those of Ghana”, she said.
She said surveys have shown that Nigeria is richly endowed with a range of solid minerals which if properly managed and exploited may in the near future become the engine of our national economic growth.

She said the Ministry has decided to place special focus on seven of the minerals which includes, bitumen/tar sand with estimated reserves of 27bn barrels of oil equivalent, coal (2.7 billion tonnes), iron ores (3 billion tonnes), limestone (2.23 billion tonnes), barytes (14 million tonnes) and lead/zinc sulphides one million tonnes) .

Madueke described the completion of the geophysical survey phase II as something that would facilitate mineral exploration, ground water prospecting, pollution and geo-hazard monitoring.

“The survey also measures the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRIM) which provide detailed information on terrains, vegetations, landforms, settlements, roads and drainages. The data is therefore extremely useful in security surveilance and development planning”, she said.

The Minister further said plans are underway geological, mineral and geo-chemical mapping of the country with a view to providing all the necessary data needed to adequately tap the mineral resources to our economic advantage.

She said the Ministry is putting in place a genstone certification process, adding that it has reached aggreement with internationally renowned Nigeria-born Jeweler to design a Jewelry line, using exclusively Nigerian gemstones.

This line of Jewelry will be launched for the international and domestic market in March this year, she said.

Earlier, the geologist involved in the preparation the survey data, Prof. Collins Reeves said a mechanism will be put in place to enable interested scientists to study, interpret and analyse the geophysical survey data and that the outcome of their study will be made public next year.

He said the experience of Brazil could be helpful in Nigeria quest for effective utilization of solid mineral resources.


http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=165168

good. . although the west has always had Gold
lets hope it is better exploited now

The North will now have more reason to tag along. This is not a good news and they should have kept it secret until after the west joins Rep Of Benin.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

what a dumb Minister.

There has been GOLD in South West since ages!

eureka!! we just discovered river niger.sigh!

WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT SOUTHWEST IS FULL OF GOLD AND BITUMEN.ANYONE BELIEVING THIS TO BE A NEW DISCOVERY KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT NIGERIA.I SERVED IN ILESA AND SAW THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL GOLDMINES.

NOT IN THE QUANTITY WE ARE CALLING NOW

2MILLION OUNCES OF GOLD = 2MILLION X 1200 = 2 400 000 000

IN JUST ONE FIND

THAT ILESA HAPPENS TO BE MY HOMETOWN I HAVE BEEN THERE FEW TIMES AS A CHILD AND THE GROUND IN GHANA WHERE I LIVE NOW IS VERY SIMILAR. THERE IS MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF GOLD IN THAT AREA BUT WE(SOME OF US) HAVE ALWAYS KEPT OUR LONG THROAT ON OIL.

aloy-emeka:

The North will now have more reason to tag along. This is not a good news and they should have kept it secret until after the west joins Rep Of Benin.

Calm down ma guy, don't get too excited. There is plenty of gold in the North as well plus plenty of other mineral resources.

The question is will the Federal government take advantage? The answer is NO, as long as they have crude oil in their sights, everything else can go to hell.

real4life:

Calm down ma guy, don't get too excited. There is plenty of gold in the North as well plus plenty of other mineral resources.

The question is will the Federal government take advantage? The answer is NO, as long as they have crude oil in their sights, everything else can go to hell.

We are talking quantity now. Did you see the quantity discovered newly in the SW?. 2 million ounces no be moin moin.

aloy-emeka:

We are talking quantity now. Did you see the quantity discovered newly in the SW?

Who knows the amount of goodies lying unexploited in our dear fatherland. lets drink our oil finish first then we can start looking

Good news with a little but.

We get hyper over this type of news because Nigeria has not fully tapped its biggest resource -Its manpower.
If we our leaders fully comprehend the potential of our manpower, they will not be jumping like kids in a candy store because
of any mineral resource discovery.
Our leaders do not realize that natural resources should be treated as a dessert and not as the main dish. 

Every now and them, natural resources are discovered in developed nations, and nobody is jumping up and down.

Our leaders; pls put people to work. Nigeria is blessed with dynamic young men and women!

illegal gold mines are common in Osun state. this is no secret.

bawomolo:

illegal gold mines are common in Osun state. this is no secret.

I did create a thread on this topic in the past. I guess people are too scared to talk about it.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-372779.0.html

bawomolo:

illegal gold mines are common in Osun state. this is no secret.

I've seen like 12 illegal mining sites.but those miners dey suffer well well.

Aso pe , ke kuro ni nigeria, awon ko so pe, ki eku si oko eru. se eru ni yoruba ni. yoruba konu.
ki ni ti awa to si sokoto, inu sokoto wa lo wa. oro po ni inu iwe kobo. ekuro. omo yi ti okore se olori ibi, wa ni owo wa. ero ro.ko si koko ni naija. epo ti fe tan. owo ore yi, ni wa mama lo.

ti eba kuro, edi eru, ti ti laiye ni. i lost anything.


Oyo state has about 10 times the population of imo state, please quote me on this. Oyo state has 33 local govt , while imo state has 27 location govt. The problem is most yorubas did not read engineering, if they did, only the foolish Yorubas is asking for one nigeria.

When you are ignorant. And Ignorance is what is killing some yoruba people who are saying we should remain in nigeria. Those people are like stupid people. They are the most Ignorant people in the world. They did not go to school. or if they did, they read nonsense in school. I am not been abusive. ko se gbogbo ko, ni ale so ni internet. We join benin republic.


There are alot of mineral too in the north. yorubaland has the third largest bitumen in the world. We know that, we dont need the north. we know yorubaland have gold. there is gold in the north. wwe dont care, we still want to leave and join benin.

http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html
http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html

http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html
http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html

http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html
http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html


http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html
http://.com//index.php/topic,92200.0.html

Becomrrich:

The problem is most yorubas  did not read engineering, if they did, only the foolish Yorubas is asking for one nigeria.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/180447_ROTFLMAO_gif3d0c775232c7f27cf80592785b9635b6

When you are ignorant. And
Ignorance is what is killing some
yoruba people who are saying
we should remain in nigeria.
Those people are like silly people.
They are the most Ignorant
people in the world. They did not
go to school. or if they did, they
read nonsense in school. I am
not been abusive. ko se gbogbo
ko, ni ale so ni internet. We join
benin republic.
Guy you are talking like a little child.[color=][/color]

When you are ignorant. And
Ignorance is what is killing some
yoruba people who are saying
we should remain in nigeria.
Those people are like silly people.
They are the most Ignorant
people in the world. They did not
go to school. or if they did, they
read nonsense in school. I am
not been abusive. ko se gbogbo
ko, ni ale so ni internet. We join
benin republic.
Guy you are talking like a little child.[color=][/color]

Abagworo:

WE HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT SOUTHWEST IS FULL OF GOLD AND BITUMEN.

rethink:

THERE IS MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF GOLD IN THAT AREA

I read an article sometime ago that a whole local government area, that is, Atakumosa LG. I cant understand why the government is just waking up to that reality now.

By the way, I never knew Diezani Allison-Maduekwe is still one of our ministers, she's been too quiet!

aloy-emeka:

The North will now have more reason to tag along. This is not a good news and they should have kept it secret until after the west joins Rep Of Benin.

The north also has a lot of mineral deposits which are not being exploited yet, among them is Uranium - a major ingredient in making atomic energy/bomb.

This is not new, or is it?
I remember reading something in the media a good few years ago about gold reserves discovery!!!!!!!

Old news!!

That s the difference between Ghana and Nigeria.

Ghana finds oil they trumpet it. They just discovered another (2 billion reserve) They are trumpeting because they are attracting the people that matter.

If we can get half a billion ounces of gold we will shoot Nigeria into massive wealth. I just pray that we dont have militancy in that area.

Nigeria finds gold the put in one corner of one newspaper.

SOME of[b] our leaders[/b] go to school to study greediology.

We must start test people for selflessology.

If the north and south of Nigeria separate, even if the North too has abundant mineral resources how are they going to export it cheaply without a sea port. Port Harcourt and Lagos are the Mouth and Yansh and alimentary canal of Nigeria. Without them is like trying to stay alive yet plugging your arsehole and your mouth.

She said the Ministry has decided to place special focus on seven of the minerals which includes, bitumen/tar sand with estimated reserves of 27bn barrels of oil equivalent, coal (2.7 billion tonnes), iron ores (3 billion tonnes), limestone (2.23 billion tonnes), barytes (14 million tonnes) and lead/zinc sulphides one million tonnes) .

All that and we are still living below the Poverty line?

nigerians are glorified mugus ooo!!!

do they know the worth of gold in a falling economy and flunctuating global market??

these wester regions are trying thier best to STOP using carbon emmited resources

they will soon find a way with other non combusting gases

some countries rely SOLELY on gold and industrial metals

the riches man in england is so because of steel

tears fall from my eyes simply lookin at the ignorance

illegal mines in osun ooooboi!!

Good and Bad News. Only if they can use it to improve the lives of the poor people.
The govt and the whites will soon show up. Destroy the peoples land.
Take their gold, abandon them and share the money in Ghana must go bags.
Then send their children abroad to study terrorism and radicalism.
While people die due to the aftermath of the gold exploitation.

One nation, one destiny!!! There are a lot more things for us all to share now.

Ppl are talking about separation. Have you considered a well instituted governemnt that has accountability to it's people and managing these resources to the good of the people? It will make us better than most western countries.
It is possible to have good responsible government in nigeria, it will only take time but it will come.

namdo:

Ppl are talking about separation. Have you considered a well instituted governemnt that has accountability to it's people and managing these resources to the good of the people? It will make us better than most western countries.
It is possible to have good responsible government in nigeria, it will only take time but it will come.

- and from your 74 posts, You have considered it already while we have not.

This guy becomerich or what do u call ur name, u know get common sense at all.u said yoruba is frowing at nigeria dividing. if nigeria is dividing today , u may not be alive to witness d desintegration because you may get killed in the process of actuallising that, go and ask odumegwu ojukwu, yoruba proverbs say eni ti sango ba ti oju e wole, koni bawon bu oba ko so, meaning (if u are struck by a disaster once, u will pray not to witness it again) so for many of you that is praying for desintegration, you those kind of things can only be actuallise through struggle.

becomerich : yorubas are one of or the most educated tribe in nigeria.