Posted by Chinenye on Thu 25th Jun, 2026 - tori.ng
A major mineral discovery in Kaduna State has placed Nigeria in the spotlight of global resource markets after officials confirmed the presence of multiple high-value deposits across a newly identified zone.
(Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake. Credit: Nations News)
The Nigerian Government has announced the discovery of a major polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State, containing deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements describing it as one of the most significant breakthroughs in the country's mining sector in recent years.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit 2026, shortly after delegates toured a mining facility operated by Steron Mining and Company Limited, where the company unveiled an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves.
Alake said the discovery, verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, was made by a private company working in collaboration with the agency, and that the high grade of the deposits positions Nigeria among emerging global destinations for strategic mineral resources and sustainable mining investment.
He described the announcement as the first public disclosure of the find.
The minister said the development reflects ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria's mining industry away from the long-standing practice of exporting raw minerals without significant local value addition.
He acknowledged that despite the country's vast mineral wealth, limited beneficiation, weak geological data, and a largely informal operating environment had historically prevented the sector from realising its full economic potential.
He noted, however, that investors had now committed billions of dollars to mineral processing projects expected to transform the structure of the economy.
Speaking during the facility tour, Steron Mining chief executive Abu Omar said the company originally operated as a granite quarry before uncovering lithium deposits and subsequently identifying tantalite occurrences within the area.
He added that granite remains abundant at the site as it serves as the host rock, and that exploration activities are continuing with promising prospects for further discoveries.
(Platinum Deposits in Kaduna. Photo Credit: Azom)