By Editor
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has hinted that testing of minerals samples will henceforth be conducted in the country as against the former practice of depending on foreign laboratories in carrying out the test.
He said this on Thursday while commissioning of the ultra-modern mineral analysis laboratory in Sabon-Wuse, Niger State built African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML).
The minister who was quoted in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori noted that the effort of the ANRML was in tandem with the federal government’s resolve to promote local value addition in the mining sector.
Alake who emphasized that the laboratory, the first of its kind in Nigeria, aligns with the key objectives of repositioning the mining sector in line with his 7-point agenda.
“You are not only aligning with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda but also contributing to our ministry’s 7-point agenda, with local value addition being a critical component. This internationally certified lab will significantly benefit the sector, as it will handle mineral samples that were previously sent abroad for testing, positioning Nigeria as a key player in global mineral analysis,” the minister stated.
Commending ANRML’s initiative, the minister urged the company, which also operates an iron ore mining and processing plant, to sustain its investment efforts, pledging the support of the Federal government for investments that will generate jobs for teeming youths in the country.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of ANRML, Alok Gupta, expressed his gratitude to the minister for commissioning the laboratory and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to partnering with the ministry to revolutionize the country’s mining landscape.
“The world-class laboratory commissioned today will be used to analyze solid mineral samples. Recognizing the need for such a facility in Nigeria, we decided to establish this laboratory using the latest technology. I am proud to announce that we are the only company in Nigeria certified with the prestigious ISO 7025 from the Canadian Association of Laboratory Abbreviations and other internationally recognized accreditation bodies for testing laboratories,” Mr. Gupta asserted.
The ANRML laboratory, equipped with cutting-edge WDXRF machines, offers a comprehensive range of geochemical services tailored for the exploration and mining industries.
