Mining is a very nice business, but the solid mineral business in Nigeria is not only about mining. It is a lucrative industry with opportunities for large scale, small scale, and cooperative societies.

There are different kinds of licenses available. Like I wrote earlier, one does not have to be a miner before one gets involved in it. There are many silent millionaires in this industry who are not in the mining business.

This thread will address the general guidelines for solid mineral business in Nigeria. We will discuss all the kinds of licenses available, how to process them legally without going through agents. Also, we will discuss why small scale miners should form cooperative societies.

Illegal mining is bad. But the truth is that doing legal solid mineral business is not difficult. People just do not have the information about it. It is simple and straight forward. I am still surprised people try to smuggle out precious stones and gold out of Nigeria when it is not so hard to move them out legally.

Hausa people are good in this business. Trust me, they know the tricks, and I learned very well too. Lol.

While my main focus is gold on this thread, the information here can be applied to any mineral. In fact, it is not uncommon to find more than one mineral in an area during exploration.

Perhaps, someone might start exporting gold, silver, precious stones, etc legally from Nigeria to the US or UAE, etc after reading my thread. The opportunities in this industry are so numerous.

We will discuss briefly about small scale gold mining. I made a thorough research before I got excellent gold dust washing machines. I can easily assemble some of these machines myself (I import the various parts). I will share my experience with you.

You may want to know more about me. Kindly read my agricultural thread. Little do most people in Nigeria know that vegetable farming is a lucrative business. Also, many people keep shouting and yelling on nairaland that going back to farm is the way forward. I am not disputing that. But do they know the challenges and hurdles in the industry?
https://www.nairaland.com/4422247/using-micro-scale-agricultural-systems


DISCLAIMER: Please, follow my suggestions at your own risk. I am not liable for any damage or loss as a result of using my techniques on this thread. The truth is you may use them wrongly. You need to check updated requirements and guidelines from the department responsible for solid minerals in Nigeria. Also, you may need to conduct personal investigation to get the right equipment you need for exploration and exploitation of solid minerals. If you inquire any loss as a result of my posts, I am not liable for any damage.
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For more inquiry
1. Download and install Telegram on your android or apple device.
2. Open your web browser and click on https:///fluentinfor
3. Someone will attend to you.

Best of luck!

Table of Content
1.0 Ownership and Control of Minerals
1.01 Lands excluded from Mineral Exploration and Exploitation

1.0 Ownership and Control of Minerals
The entire property, and control of minerals resources, under, or upon any land in Nigeria, in water, is vested in the government of the Federation, for and on behalf of the people of Nigeria.

Government shall acquire any land mineral resources are found in commercial quantity.

Government can pass the ownership of property in the minerals respurces to any individual by whom the resources are won upon their recovery.

1.01 Lands excluded from Mineral Exploration and Exploitation
No licence will be given for the following kinds of land:

1. Lands which are dedicated for military purposes, except an approval is given by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

2. Lands within 50meters of oil pipeline licence areas legally awarded in accordance with the Oil Pipeline Act

3. Lands occupied by town, village, or market. Also, ancestral land, cemetery or burial ground, archeological or sacred land, land within 50meters of a railline track, 50 meters within government or public building, dam, reservoir, or public road.

4. Lands under the subjects of National Commission for Museum and Monuments Act, and National Park Service Act.

5. Lands over which mineral titles have been previously granted by Mining Cadastre Office, as long as such mineral title is subsisting.

6. Lands already declared closed to mining operation.

1.1 Grant of Mineral Titles
The search for or exploit of mineral resorces is obtained through one of the following mineral titles in form of:

1. a Reconnaissance Permit,
2. an Exploration License,
3. a Small Scale Mining License,
4. a Mining Lease,
5. a Quarry Lease, and
6. a Water Use Permit

1.11 A Reconnaissance Permit

- - - Qualifications - - -
1. A citizen of Nigeria who has not been convicted of any criminal offence
2. A corporate entity registered with C.A.C
3. A mining cooperative society

- - - Grant - - -
The mining Cadastral office shall within 30 days approve the application as long as all requirements are fulfilled, and all fees are paid for reconnaissance to search for mineral resources.

- - - Duration - - -
Renewable yearly

- - - Rights of Holders - - -
1. Have access, can enter, fly over any land in Nigeria which is available for mining purpose to search for minerals.
2. Obtain and remove small surface samples in small quantities
3. Grant will not be approved for land which has become subject to other licences, leases or permits.

Note: Drilling and excavating techniques are not permitted under this permit.

REVIEW 1.0 My Gold concentrator
1. It has 3 stages of gold separation.

2. It's easy to move, small enough to put in the trunk of a car.

4. It will last many years.

5. The sides have viewing holes, so you can see all the gold.

6. You don't need any special skill to use it.

7. It has a banker attachment. Can be used right in the river.

8. It processes 454 kg material per hour. If 10 units are connected together to form a system, it will process 4.54 tons per hour. Amazing!

If you are a small scale miner, or a researcher, get in touch with me and I can assist you get this wonderful machine. It picks very tiny gold materials. Even you crush rocks to powder, be assured that it will trap about 98% of the gold in rock powder and compresses 454kg dirt to less than 100grams. Then after, you will use another machine to wash it clean.
Say no to using mercury.

Learn how to separate black sand from gold dust easily without stress. Avoid using inefficient locally built gold washers by artisans. If you take this machine to re-process sand or crushed rocks already processed with local washers, you will be shocked that you will pull out more gold.

Videos coming soon.

Review 1.1 Modern Gold Panning

Artisans pan fine gold concentrates by hand, and it is extremely difficult and tedious. This modern gold panning equipment when set up and operated properly, can recover Gold as fine as talcum powder.

It saves time, and makes easy work of what would take hours. In addition, it does an excellent job of separating black sand from gold dust.

It can be set up at home or in the field.

Most gold mining equipment usually requires the operator to pass through a learning curve, but I always search for equipment which requires zero skill and knowledge. Just like my first review above, this requires zero skill too. Anyone can easily set it up and start using it almost immediately after purchasing it too.

Picture 1: Accessories

Picture 2: Already panned gold dust. Amazing!

Review 1.2: Ancient Gold Concentrators
Instead of the equipment in my Review 1.0, many artisans in West Africa still use the olden days concentrators. It hurts me deeply when I see such inefficient equipment being deployed on the field. It is not funny.

....more to come!

REVIEW 1.3 Ancient Gold Panning
And instead of saving time, energy, and resources panning gold with the equipment in Review 1.1, many artisans still pan with their hands using aluminum pans, and they finish up the work by removing gold out of black sand with mercury. Just too bad. Too dangerous for the health of the miner.

1.12 An Exploration Licence

- - - Qualifications - - -
1. A holder of reconnaissance permit who has fulfilled all the conditions in the permit,
2. A corporate entity registered with C.A.C
3. A mining cooperative.

- - - Grant - - -
1. The mining Cadastral office shall within 30 days approve the application as long as all requirements are fulfilled, and all fees are paid for reconnaissance to search for mineral resources.
2. The license will not be granted over a land that subject to sm existing exploration licence, small scale lease, quarry lease, or mining lease.
3. The licence will not be granted if the area of the land is above 200sq km.

- - - Duration - - -
Three years, and renewabe for futher two years each,

- - - Rights of Holders - - -
1. Have access, can enter, fly over any land in Nigeria which is available for mining purpose of exploration.
2. Obtain and remove mineral quantities as specified in the regulation for the purpose of analysis.
3. Grant will not be approved for land which has become subject to other licences, leases or permits.

Note: Equipment used for exploration will be granted which can include drilling and excavating.

1.13 Mining Lease

- - - Qualifications - - -
An entity which has fulfilled the conditions of an exploration licence.

- - - Grant - - -
1. The mining Cadastral office shall within 45 days approve the application as long as all requirements are fulfilled, and all fees are paid for mining of mineral resources.
2. The license will not be granted over a land that is subject to an existing exploration licence, small scale lease, quarry lease, except the applicant is the owner of such lease, licence or permit.
3. The licence will not be granted if the area is above 200sq km.

- - - Duration - - -
Twenty five years, and renewabe after every twenty four years.

- - - Area of land - - -
Not more than 50 sq km.

- - - Rights of Holders - - -
1. Have access, enter, fly over any land in Nigeria which has been leased for mining.
2. Carry out exploration on the leased land.
3. Obtain, market, and sell minerals mined from the land.
4. Use water, timbers in accordance to the law governing the activities.

TIP 1.0: Starting A Gold Exportation Business
Most people start from searching for gold, but this is wrong, you start from the buyer. Look for gold buyers. And interestingly, they are not difficult to find.

What I noticed is that most buyers want to buy at discounted rate from the real price. Also, buyers have procedures for setting prices, all you just need to do is to check and double check very well. When you get a buyer, you need to find out what papers are needed from you. Seriously, you will be shocked they are not really hard to get. And then, you need to find a place to test the purity of your metal.

The next step is to hook up with owners of mining leases, or owners of exploration licenses. Exploration is so expensive. I have been to many gold mines centers in Nigeria, and what I have seen so far are death traps. Avoid death traps!

I prefer alluvial gold mining on surface land. Honestly, if anyone can get such spots, that will be so great. And a good strategy to explore gold there on a small scale can be formulated. The main issue is to do it legally. The profit is huge if you can breakthrough.

I wish someone reading my thread can tell me he has alluvial gold deposits on his land, and we can talk to the owner of the license or lease, and see how to get started. If the person wants to just take instructions on what can be done, sure, I can put him/her through.

With the equipment I have listed up, you are good to go. Your job is just to pack sand in large quantities after you have done some tests to know where gold deposits are.

If you are sure there is gold in an area, and you gone round to find where the mineral is in huge quantity, and you find the dept is close to the surface, an earth removal equipment can be used to gather sands in the area, and you move to a location with enough water.

Does anyone have such site? And can such person put in little cash for exploration? Of course, partners are available. Just that it is necessary for the owner of the lease to also put something down.

Some people secured mining lease with no intention of using it. They are waiting for who to come ask them, and they will charge the person N10,000,000 for going into the area to mine and use their licenses. I do not advise anyone to do it like that. In fact, governement should start reclaiming leases and licenses that are abandoned. These people keep renewing them, are holding on to them, but they are doing nothing. They are waiting for foreign investors who will come and do exploration for them. Or waiting to collect some millions from anyone who wants to use their licenses. This is the main reason the solid mineral industry is slow.

You will be shocked to know the area of land in Nigeria allocated for mining, and the owners of such mining leases are doing nothing. Afterall, such licences are valid for 25 years. Whaooo! And someone can hold such lease without doing anything for even 50 years or more. Just passing the licences from one generation to another.

1.14 Small Scale Mining Lease

- - - Qualifications - - -
1. A citizen of Nigeria who has not been convicted of any criminal offence.
2. A holder of exploration licence who has fulfilled all the conditions in the permit,
3. A corporate entity registered with C.A.C
4. A mining cooperative.

- - - Area of land - - -
Between 5 acres and 3 sq km.

- - - Extension Service - - -
There is a department for small scale mining in the ministry of Mining and Steel which is suppose to guide all artisans and small scale miners.

I went to 3 sites in Kainji, Niger State and I was greatly surprised how artisans hustle there. It is crazy. They endanger their lives. Oh God! Oh Jesus! Oh Lord! I cannot imagine how on earth good people in their right state of mind can think of digging very deep holes, very narrow, and they keep digging those holes. Many times, the holes collapse on them. When one collapses, they abandon it, start a new hole near that again. These people are suppose to approach the small scale department to guide them on how to do it better.

Waooooo! Illiteracy is a real disease. And what amazed me most that day was that some people who claim to be educated actually are the sponsors of these die hard looking wreched people. They give them money to go do illegal mining. They mobilize themselves in hundreds after collaping some few thousands of naira, and match to the sites to dig holes. When they find a good spot, they try to keep it a secret among themselves, but it always leaks out later. Then, the villagers send one or two representative(s) from each family to go get gold out of the hole. You can imagine what happens next. They will not stop until the hole collapses on someone. It is a terrible state. Day and night they dig. They sleep, eat, drink, and merry there. It was such a terrible site for me. Yet, they are so poor.