Conserve lithium other strategic minerals, geophysicists urge FG

The Federal Government is urging geophysicists to help conserve Nigeria's strategic minerals and other vital resources, as the nation pushes to attract investment and halt raw ore exports. Exploration geophysicists recently expressed concern that the country may need to import minerals it currently extracts and sells if strategic deposits are not deliberately conserved.

This warning comes as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, emphasizes that the government is bolstering geoscientific data, mineral exploration, and professional capacity to turn mining into a major economic pillar for Nigeria's diversification. The Nigerian Association of Exploration Geophysicists (NAEG) agrees that value addition and increased mining should be balanced by a national conservation policy to protect high-grade minerals for future generations and long-term industrial development.

At the 4th Annual International Conference and Training Workshop of the NAEG in Abuja, professionals discussed the role of geophysics in resource exploration, environmental management, and infrastructure development. Alake, who represented the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, stressed that geophysics is crucial for unlocking Nigeria's underground wealth, safeguarding the ecosystem, and securing national infrastructure.

He highlighted that the government is generating reliable geological and geophysical information to reduce uncertainty and attract investment. Despite the push for value addition, NAEG President Akin George cautioned against potential depletion of strategic minerals, contending that they are non-replenishable resources. He advocated for a national conservation policy for strategic minerals to ensure future access and industrial use.