Abandoned Mining Sites: Bauchi Enforces Environmental Law

The Bauchi State Government has enforced Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on miners to restore mining sites to their original forms after explorations to avoid environmental disasters.

The state Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Mr Audu Bagoro, told newsmen in Abuja that a bill had recently been passed by the House of Assembly to make miners to comply with the environmental law.

The commissioner spoke on the sideline of the just concluded first Nigeria Mining Week in Abuja.

He said that some of the abandoned open mine sites in the 1950s had caused lots of environmental hazards to the communities.

He said that they took the responsibility to reclaim some of the sites for agriculture, among others.

The commissioners said the state had many minerals that had contributed to its growth.

“Bauchi is rich in different types of minerals such as Berellium, Amethyst, Quartz of different types, Tin, Graphite, Magmatic Iron, Charcopyrite, Tourmaline, Sapphire, Granite.

According to him, there are five big-time miners currently operating.

“We are creating enabling environment for mining companies to invest in our state because we have different minerals, including industrial minerals.”

On illegal miners, he said that the state government was working out modality to sensitise, incorporate and legalise their activities.

Mining week brought together various stakeholders in the industry.

The programme involved conferences, workshops, exhibitions and networking among participants.

It is a creation exclusively owned by the Miners Association of Nigeria, in partnership with SPINTELLIGENT of South Africa.