The Akwa Ibom Government has closed down a Chinese mining agency, Ruitai Mining Company, for failing to provide an operation licence.
Chief Uno Etim Eno, the state’s Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, mentioned this when he briefed newsmen in Uyo.
He mentioned the agency couldn’t present authorisation paperwork for titanium ore mining within the Ibeno neighborhood of the state.
He mentioned that the corporate had been mining titanium ore quietly within the space earlier than it was intercepted and ordered to provide related paperwork.
He added that in an inspection, it was found that the agency couldn’t produce a mining license and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to indicate the influence of its operations on the host neighborhood.
“The joint ministerial inspection team included the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Iquo Abia, on arrival at Ibeno community, were conducted round the mining site by the Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area, High Chief Williams Mkpa.
“The team discovered black clay-like minerals contained in sacks of 50kg, which was identified by the miners as titanium ore.
“On critical examination of the site amidst tight security, the Managing Director and Director of the company, Zeng Zhonghuan and Huang Ying, were not available at the site. The available staff members could not provide any information or documents,” Uno mentioned.
He mentioned the Ministry of Environment found that the corporate was purely an exploration firm whereas the Board of Directors had been all Chinese nationals who weren’t eligible to accumulate the small-scale mining licence as claimed.
“Ruitai mining company should terminate its mining operations forthwith, until due clearance legitimising its operation is completed with the state government,” he mentioned.
