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Illegal Mining Of Non-Metallic Minerals Reduced - RMRDC The Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi has observed that there has been a reduction in illegal mining of nonmetallic minerals in Nigeria. Making this disclosure today in Lagos at a Seminar on Non-Metallic Mineral Sector, jointly organized by the Manufacturers' Association of Nigeria (MAN) and RMRDC, Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi attributed the phenomenon to Government's renewed emphasis on the development on solid minerals in Nigeria. According to the RMRDC Director-General "for many years, the non-metallic mineral sector was dominated by illegal mining activities and processing operations with low level of value-addition". However, he said that increase attention shown by government on solid minerals development in the last decade has helped to reduce illegal mining operations as well as provide insight into the investment potentials of the nation's solid minerals. He noted that apart from coal and limestone, most non-metallic mineral raw materials were imported. The RMRDC Director-General stated that there are over 35 minerals and rocks that are fundamental to the non-metallic industrial sector of Nigeria. He highlighted economic potentials of some such as clay, diatomite, limestone, glass sand, phosphate, barites, gypsum, coal, feldspar, talc and marble. He noted that Nigeria has 3.4 metric tones of kaolin deposits with 90 per cent purity and this is applicable in the paint, rubber, paper (as filters), cement, cosmetics, ceramics and abrasive manufacturing. Nigeria also has reserves of 1.2 million and 2 million metric tonnes of limestone and gypsum respectively, both of which are applicable in cement manufacturing, in addition to other things. Nigeria has an estimated reserves of 2 million metric tones of Barytes, which the oil companies are now trying to exploit as drilling mud under the new local content policy for the oil industry. Dr. Abdullahi used the occasion to call on the private sector to invest in non-metallic mineral mining and processing in order to ensure raw materials availability for the sector. According to him, this has become imperative as government is no longer involved in direct investment in industries Who Are We ? | About THISDAYOnLine.com | THISDAY People | Contact Us © Copyright 2000 Leaders & Company Limited

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