The Jupiter Lithium Project has received the nod to begin the mining of lithium in Kaduna State.
In a statement, it said this followed the approval of the Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, to attain critical licenses for the Jupiter Lithium Project in Kaduna State, marking Nigeria's first Tier One lithium and critical minerals mining operation.
It added that Basin Mining Ltd and Range Mining Ltd, joint developers of the Jupiter Lithium Project, have formalised an agreement with the Kaduna State Government to develop Nigeria's largest lithium spanning 462 square kilometers of lithium-rich terrain with a projected investment of $2.5bn this project creates an additional 100,000 employment opportunities.
"This approval represents a transformative leap for Nigeria," said Ambassador Dr Hassan Tukur of Range Mining, highlighting the government's commitment to strategic investments in sustainable resource development.
He noted that the Range Mining's lithium operations will boost local employment, enhance technological skills, and promote community engagement, aligning with President Tinubu's goals in solar energy and electric vehicles."
On his part, the Managing Director of Kaduna Mining Development Company Ltd, Dr Mohammed Nura Sanu Usaini echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of local empowerment and environmental sustainability.
"The target is to produce an electric vehicle in this country. It's a very important and significant project which, of course, conforms with the goals of the administration of His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State, Distinguished Senator Uba Sani," he stated.
Dr Stephen Davis, director of Range's parent company, Jupiter Lithium Ltd said "The concentrator plants to be built by Range on the mine site will generate additional employment opportunities for locals to be trained in new and modern mining technologies during construction and operations of the plants and we look forward to further engagement with the local communities achieving this outcome.
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Range's operations manager, Mr. Lekan Olaniyan, said that "The decision to build the concentrator plants on the mine site will have significant benefits in relation to safety and the environment by substantially reducing the quantity of material that is transported away from the minesite."
Olaniyan added that the initiative has two substantial benefits for safety and environmental outcomes as nearly 85% of the mined material can remain on site after it passes through the Concentrator Process Plant and can be reused in the environmental rehabilitation after mining.
