From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Minerals and Miners Centre, MMC, has said that collaboration is the major way through which Nigerian mining sector can compete with the global market.
Country Director, Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji ,in a statement made available to journalists,on Thursday stressed that artisnal and Small miners must learn to work as team if they want to be properly represented.
She insisted that the private sector players in Nigeria need a global mindset to be able to showcase the huge Minerals in the country and also attract investors.
Dr Asokoro-Ogaji added that the mission of MMC is to assist local miners to improve towards more advanced approach and be able to compete in the global marketplace
“The way forward for Artisanal and Small Scale Miners in Africa is to look inwards and draw strenght from each other and make progress as home grown companies. We appreciate foreign investors and their interest in developing africa but the mission of MMC is to assist local miners to improve towards more advanced approach and be able to compete in the global marketplace.”
She added that business talks have been initiated by MMC with GSL Mineral Processing and K-Mines for exploration and operational optimization for managing resources and maximizing yield.
The solutions include open cut and underground mining system simulations, structural 3D modeling of mineral deposits and tools needed by mining companies for pits design, haul roads and mine structures.
Our local miners must key into global solutions for process optimization and reduce analogue approach to mining. This will ensure quality of exploration data, report integrity and general acceptability by investors.
We must follow the trend to gain relevance in the global market otherwise our miners will remain local and not have any space where it matters most.
She added that MMC will continue to discuss with the global solution providers in the industry for its members and strategize for the growth of the sector via private sector led initiatives and solutions.
Our talks with GSL Mineral Processing Company is centred around exploration reporting standards acceptable worldwide for private investors partnerships with our miners locally. GSL working with MMC member companies can bring about a paradigm shift for Nigerian Mining Industry. Most Nigerian mining companies are still at the feasibility studies or exploration stages. GSL can assist with the mine value chain from scoping through PEA to PFS and DFS.
Dr Comfort further reiterates the need for partnerships as the way to go, saying: “Another team we are talking to is the SRK Team. Though SRK is not new to us because SRK had worked with Richflood one of MMC member company for Environmental due diligence, but this time around, we are discussing a more broad expertise on innovative solutions in a multidisciplinary approaches.
In Nigeria we are already launching the internship and mentorship program by 14th December at the National Assembly Hall. Six Hundred and Firty Two (642) Nigerians have registered and I hinted the Minister about it yesterday. These are actions taken to bridge the huge knowledge gap and this conference in London has revealed the gap indeed. We need to rise up and get to work.’