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The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development said in Abuja
that it had started closing of mine pits across the country.
Mine pits are sites left uncovered by miners
after mining activities which may pose danger to the
environment.
The Minister, Chief Sarafa Tunji Isola,
disclosure.
Isola said that activities of illegal
miners had resulted in about 1, 200 abandoned mine sites
nationwide, posing dangers to the environment.
"We have started the remediation and
closure of abandoned mine sites in Ebonyi. We plan to close
some mine sites in Plateau, Borno, Cross River and Nasarawa
states."
He said that the Ministry was also
approaching the Ecological Fund, to assist in the process.
"Investors, particularly artisanal miners,
do not look at mine pit closure in their work proposal, but
the Minerals and Mining Act already in place, takes care of
that to ensure that best practices are maintained," he
added.
"From now on, if you don’t close a mine
pit after exploiting the deposits, you are liable and the
law will be enforced on defaulters.
"Before you dig anything on the ground,
you must have a Mining Lease and a Mine Closure Plan," he
said, noting that mine closure was the end plan of mining.
He said that the new legal framework in
place to regulate the sector has made mine closure a
requirement for the issuance of licenses and mineral titles.
(NAN) |
