The Minister of Solid Minerals development, Dr Dele Alake, has described African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML) as a valuable partner in the federal government’s efforts to promote local value addition in the mining sector.
Speaking at the commissioning of ultra-modern mineral analysis laboratory in Sabon-Wuse in Niger state, Alake emphasised that the laboratory, the first of its kind in Nigeria, aligns with the key objectives of repositioning the mining sector in line with his seven-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 would 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.
In a statement on Friday by Segun Tomori, special assistant on media to the Honourable minister, Alake commended ANRML’s initiative and 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 would 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 revolutionise the country’s mining landscape.
“The world-class laboratory commissioned today would be used to analyse solid mineral samples,” he said.
“Recognising 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-recognised accreditation bodies for testing laboratories,” 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.
