By Gabriel Ewepu

AS Federal Government woos investors into the minerals and mining sector, the Director General and Chief Executive, National Metallurgical Development Centre, NMDC, Prof Linus Asuquo, said collaboration with the an Indian mining company, Diamond Aggregate Mining Limited is to boost foreign exchange for Nigeria.

Asuquo who was represented by the Director, Finance and Human Resources Management , Dr Abubakar Yusuf Tumi, made the assertion while speaking on the need for such collaborations during a technical and fact-finding visit by Directors and Engineering Consultant of Diamond Aggregate Mining Limited to NMDC.

He also expressed optimism that with productive collaborations with reliable foreign investors the expected dramatic improvement in the sector will happen and that would boost the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.

He also described the company’s decision to collaborate with the agency as best decision in considering enormous benefits the commodity would bring to both countries in terms of foreign exchange as the centre will go on Iron Ore upgrading and beneficiation.

Meanwhile, taking the Indian team on a facility tour at the Centre, he assured them that NMDC being one of the three research and development centres in Africa has the best of professionals and modern equipment in minerals processing, which the centre is ready to add value to any type of mineral or metal presented through beneficiation.
However, he said the Centre does not collaborate with companies that are exploitative rather synergize with corporate organizations of high pedigree and whose collaboration is symbiotic.

He also disclosed that the Centre currently collaborates with United Nations Industrial Development, UNIDO, United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, MINTEK, DICON, NDA ,MINDER, and others, which according to him has proven the agency’s indispensability in adding value to Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

According to him (Asuquo) the agency has been able to conduct reliable research that has brought about upgrading of many minerals to meet the demands of the government, corporate organizations, and individuals by applying latest beneficiation methods.

However, he urged the Indian firm to go through due process to get the required documents that would certify it for mining operations by the Nigerian government through the Mining Cadastre Office, MCO, in order to operate legally including exporting solid minerals.

Earlier, explaining their choice of NMDC for collaboration, the consultant to the Indian firm, Engr Marcus Oche, said that the partnership was borne out of years of research on the activities and viability of the Centre in terms of minerals research and development.

According to Oche, their main purpose for the visit was to commence the process of collaboration with the Centre, especially in the area of Iron Ore upgrading, while appealing to the management of the Centre to assist the company secure Mineral Title License as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, one of the directors of the company, Engr Jai Matthew, expressed satisfaction with the various laboratories at the Centre, and said that, “ I am astonished by what I have seen on ground, and I never knew that such opportunities exist in Nigeria.”

Matthew promised that his company would expedite action in ensuring that the proposed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between his company and NMDC is signed within the shortest possible time, which will be of immense benefit both countries.