The South Korean government has expressed interest in the lithium resources in Nigeria.
The South Korean government had been approached by the Nigerian government at the Seventh Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation conference held in Busan, South Korea according to the statement issued by the Nigerian Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and signed by the Deputy Director (Information), Alaba Balogun on Thursday.
A 2006 Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and South Korea on investments in the solid minerals sector was the main topic of discussion, the statement claimed.
According to the statement, members of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Oando Mining Company made up the Nigerian team, while representatives from the Korean Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources and Korean Mines Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources were on the South Korean team.
The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Dele Alake, was represented by the Director-General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Dr. Abdulrazaq Garba.
The proposed amendment to the 2006 Memorandum of Understanding said that it would “include training of Nigerian mining professionals in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Ore Modelling, Mineral Processing, research, and exploration of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite.”
“KIGAM president Dr. Pyeong Koo-lee offered to work with Nigeria to explore the substantial deposits of lithium-bearing pegmatites,” the statement continued.
According to him, KIGAM has the greatest technology for processing lithium ore, and the beneficiation process can lower carbon levels to raise the ore’s quality.
“The vice president of the state-owned KOMIR, “Dr. Alex Kwon, indicated an interest in investing in mining projects abroad, noting that KOMIR provides technical and financial assistance and investment in the exploration and mining of solid minerals.”
