The Council of Mining Engineers and Geo-scientists (COMEG) plans to train artisan miners on how to avoid lead poisoning in their operations.

The registrar of the council, Mr Jonathan Ikeako, who made the announcement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said lead poisoning, which occurred in Zamfara recently, was caused by miners who indulged in using wrong chemicals to process minerals.

He explained that the application of the chemicals was to improve the quality of minerals before offering them for sale. “There have been a lot of talks on finding ways of teaching artisanal miners the right methods of processing their minerals. COMEG is developing a programme on the issue. We want to teach people the right chemicals to use and how to use them, because of the lead poisoning incident in Zamfara.” He warned that mercury, one of the chemicals used by artisanal miners, could kill human beings if used wrongly. “COMEG will teach small-scale miners the type of equipment and chemicals to use in processing their products.” Ikeako said the enlightenment programme would commence in the first quarter of 2012.

He also promised that COMEG would collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development as well as other stakeholders to ensure that artisanal miners were protected from hazards. “It is common to see artisans on road sides, breaking rocks and being laden with dust. Also, in cement factories, workers are often not encouraged to cover their noses and are exposed to all kinds of hazards.

This is why we want to teach them how to protect themselves from these dangers.” He said the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development had advised artisanal miners to form cooperative societies in order to attract credit facilities from banks.