Federal Govt Seeks Eco-friendly Mining Operations

The federal ministries of solid minerals development and environment have agreed to partner towards ensuring that mining operations in the country cause minimal harm to the environment, in line with international best practices.

In a statement made available to journalists by the special assistant on media to the minister of solid minerals development, Segun Tomori, he said his principal, Dr Oladele Alake, told the visiting minister of the environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, that the federal government was committed to securing mining areas whilst removing impediments to seamless operations and ensuring mining processes conform to global standards of negligible harmful impact on the environment.

On his part, Lawal spoke about issues around security in mining sites and the need to protect the environment from degradation as a result of mining operations.

“Recently, the minister launched a solid minerals roadmap, which I think took care of the issue of the environment because whenever there is mining, the environment will be affected one way or the other. So, we are working very closely to see that whatever is being done will be within the limit of tolerable impact on the environment,” he said.