The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has warned against illegal mining at abandoned sites following the death of seven people in a collapsed tin mine pit in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The minister is also seeking private sector investment to transform abandoned mining pits into productive ventures.
In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, Alake said the deaths could have been avoided if those involved had formed a cooperative and obtained the necessary mining permit.
He said obtaining a permit would have enabled them to benefit from training provided by the Ministry’s artisanal mining department and operate within a safer, regulated environment.
Alake urged artisanal miners across the country to learn from the Kassa tragedy and avoid extracting minerals from abandoned pits without licences.
The minister commiserated with the government and people of Plateau State over the deaths.
He also called on investors to partner with the government to repurpose abandoned mining pits for energy, tourism and fishery projects, saying collaboration with the private sector could turn dormant mining sites into productive assets.
According to Alake, the Ministry has so far rehabilitated 59 abandoned mining pits.
He also disclosed that the Ministry is deploying satellite mapping and Artificial Intelligence through a public-private partnership to identify and assess legacy tin mining pits, with Plateau State serving as the pilot location.
The initiative is expected to provide data for the reclamation and possible productive use of abandoned mining sites.
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Editor..Ada Ononye
