Firm commences Lead Ore Production In Enugu

Nigeria’s  first  lead ore smelting plant has commenced production at Emene Industrial Estate, Enugu, Enugu state.

The multi –million factory  owned by LOC Metals and Minerals Limited, has  a projection of producing about 400 metric ton per month or 50 per cent of its installed capacity.

Built by a Chinese firm which also trained the pioneer production team of the establishment,  a statement made available to newsmen in Enugu by the Factory Manager, Mr. Ifeanyi Nweke, noted that lead  is a versatile product used as input for numerous manufacturing products such as Aluminum roofing sheet, car, batteries, heavy construction equipment, auto parts among other items.

According to him,  lead is equally used by many people as production component, adding that  despite its wide use, most people only know the raw material as an input that was used in paint production many years ago.

His words: “It is interesting to note that though there are large deposit of lead ore in the South East of Nigeria and some parts of the North, Nigeria is not recorded in the international market as a lead producer. Most of the lead ore exported in Nigeria is in raw form, while  most of the miners are small artesian  miners  who use manual labour for their production”.

Continuing,  Mr Nweke  therefore noted with happiness  that an indigenous  company has taken the bold  step to commence the smelting of lead ore into lead ingots for export and local use.

Revealing that  it has taken the company about one year to get to its current production stage, Mr Nweke, hinted that the result of a  recent test on the company’s lead ingot  carried out in far away United States of America [USA], indicates 99 per cent purity level for the ingots, saying the production team are very proud of its achievements so far.

He,   however, expressed the hope that by the end of August 2009, the company would have met 25 per cent of the plant installed capacity of 800 metric ton per month, stressing that the reason for the low level of production was as a result of the rains  which has been delaying  the supply of the raw materials from the miners.

“When dry season sets in  by October this year, the factory should be doing a minimum of 400 metric ton per month, or of its installed capacity.”

The factory boss also  hinted that even though,  the organization which currently has about 36 staff already had an export contract, it is also  interested in selling to local  factories in the country that need the products, adding that it would be their major contribution to the economic development of  the nation and a way of supporting the local industries to grow.

Maintaining that their intention was to make the plant one of the largest producers of leads ingots in Africa, Mr Nweke  further disclosed that a one-time gubernatorial candidate in Enugu state and financial consultant and managing partner, of Finance, Investment and Trade Consultant [FIT consult limited], Chief  Loretta Aniagolu is the majority shareholder and  chairperson  of the  board of Directors,  while it is partly financed by Access  Bank Plc.

Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State addressing newsmen on his programme for the state, recently. He finally decamped from the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last Saturday