Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Edo State government has said that it has performed the groundbreaking ceremony for one of the biggest coated calcium carbonate factories in Nigeria in Lampese, Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the State.
The Commissioner for Mining and Energy, Hon. Enaholo Ojiefoh, said this while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin City.
He said the facility is already under construction and will run at 200,000mt capacity.
Ojiefoh also said that Rosatum, one of Europe’s largest nuclear energy companies, has begun exploration of lithium in Edo and has gotten the state government’s approval to build a lithium processing plant.
“We have allocated land for the company to build a lithium processing plant and it will soon commence production of lithium batteries in the State.
“We are also very keen on driving the governor’s holistic industrialization plans and have performed the groundbreaking ceremony for one of the biggest coated calcium carbonate factories in Nigeria here in Lampese. It is under construction and will run at 200,000mt capacity.
“Also, a Commodities Trading and Mineral Analysis Center is being completed in Dangbala in Akoko-Edo.”
Moving forward, he said that the State Government has also secured over 40 new licenses for solid mineral deposits in the State through Associates Mining and Investment Company, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) promoted by the state government, noting that the State will rent the licenses to interested private investors to exploit the mineral deposits in the State.
Ojiefoh said furthermore, that not less than three multinational companies are constructing processing plants in the State, which is an indication that the state’s solid mineral market is attaining maturity.