Nigeria launches kaolin ore processing plant
The Federal government of Nigeria has launched the kaolin ore processing plant in Alkaleri, Gwaram Local Government of Bauchi State.
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite performed the launch ceremony and said the project is a positive development that supports the diversification efforts of the Nigerian government and has the potential to generate employment, foster economic growth, and increase the value of the country’s mineral resources.
Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade, the Permanent Secretary of the MMSD, expressed delight at the commissioning of the industrial plant, recognizing its significant economic value and potential for industrial utilization. She assured that the ministry would continue to prioritize the development of the sector to contribute to national growth. Akinlade also mentioned that this project, along with five others established across each geopolitical zone of the country, aimed to address the impact of the global pandemic on the economy, particularly the minerals and metals sector.
Value chain in mining
Alhaji Musa Muhammed, the acting president of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), commended the cluster development project and the ministry’s efforts in developing the downstream value chain of the solid mineral sector. He believed that this initiative would accelerate the economic agenda of the current administration. Muhammed suggested that the Kaolin industrial cluster in Bauchi State could be sustained due to the existence of kaolin mining sites and registered milling plants in the area.
However, Mr. Bello Galoji, representing MAN, requested further intervention in the form of equipment leasing facilities to improve the operations of artisanal small-scale miners. This support would contribute to increased trade volume within established clusters.
Engr. Janet Adeyemi, the national president of the Women in Mining in Nigeria, stated that the establishment of the industrial plant in Alkaleri would greatly benefit Bauchi State’s economy and the entire nation. She emphasized the northeast’s proximity to markets requiring kaolin as a raw material and stated that the initiative was timely and critical for supporting the sector’s recovery and growth. Adeyemi also highlighted that the plant’s commencement is expected to create job opportunities for women across various sectors in the state.
