An organisation, ImPPPact Nigeria Alliance, says it has begun the generation of a Geographic Information System (GIS) database aimed at reclaiming abandoned mining sites in Plateau.
The Managing Director, Mr. Olushola Ajayi, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, on Monday in Abuja.
Ajayi stated that the move was part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the ministry in 2023 to reclaim abandoned mining sites in Nigeria, with Plateau as the first beneficiary.
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He said that findings revealed that there is no available GIS data, crucial for providing accurate spatial and environmental information for effective planning and execution of reclamation efforts.
He further explained that the data would aid in site identification and mapping, environmental assessment, and land use planning.
"The project is in two phases, the fist data collation of the GIS data for the abandoned pits. The data is supposed to help us identify and characterise abandoned mining sites.
"Without a good understanding of their composition and condition, rehabilitation becomes very difficult," he said.
According to him, it is engaging professionals to deliver on the GIS data and has partnered with Intomatics, a Germany-based company specialising in geomatic services.
The company, he said, is using satellite imagery techniques for the sites, and the team will proceed to Plateau to compare the images with the reality on the ground.
He added that they would work with a team of experts in Plateau, relevant government officials, and the local communities to ensure the delivery of accurate information.
The official added that, in the long run, the compiled information would be presented to the mining cadastre for future reference by investors.
According to him, the second stage of the project is reclamation, focusing on repurposing some abandoned mining sites for solar energy generation and positioning Plateau as a hub for it.
He said the achievement would be realized through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, adding that the sites could later be considered for agriculture, tourism, and other economic uses.
In his remarks, the Director of Geospatial Data for Itomatics, Andreas Kahnen, further explained that the data generated in Plateau would be fed into artificial intelligence programmes.
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He said that this was to extract the specific information they are seeking from the satellite images which would help in developing a stable workflow for the reclamation of abandoned mining sites.
Responding, the minister described ImPPPact Nigeria Alliance as a key partner in their efforts to reposition the mining sector and expressed confidence in its ability to deliver on the project.
Represented by the Director of Human Resources, Dr. Ijeoma Idika, he urged them to collaborate with state officials and other relevant agencies while taking into account the various technical advice provided by the ministry.
