By Hammed Salawu Minna.

The Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai working in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has completed mapping and characterization of industrial mineral deposits in three States of the North-Central Nigeria geopolitical region.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Muhammad Nasir Maiturare made the disclosure during the submission of the full report of the project to the Director General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr Hussaini Ibrahim, in Abuja

The Vice Chancellor commended the RMRDC for supporting the project through a research grant to the IBB University. stressing that the gesture was in line with the current government focus is on the development of solid minerals to enable a diversified economy.

He said the study mapped and geochemically characterized 5 strategic industrial minerals, namely, clay, marble, barite, talc and feldspar in the States of Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi.

He said with results showing that cosmetic, jewelry, cement, battery, paint, ceramics, pharmaceutical and building materials industries could be developed and sustained in these areas using the mapped industrial minerals. If recommendations in the report should be implemented,

Maiturare noted that solid mineral mining will be revived with concomitant wealth creation, employment generation, poverty reduction and women and youth empowerment in sustainable physical environments.

The Vice Chancellor was accompanied to the presentation by the university Director of Research, Prof Nuhu Obaje.

The Director General  of the RMRDC, Dr Hussaini Ibrahim expressed satisfaction with the content of the report and promised that IBBU will be invited to carry out similar study in the remaining states of the North Central region or move the project to beneficiation and pilot stage testing of the characterized minerals.
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