Kaduna state has the potential to earn over $5.97 billion annually from sapphire, gold, silver and other processed gemstones in the state, former president, Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers, Dr Ebenezer Damisa, has said.
Kaduna state is endowed with commercial quantity of gemstones like gold, silver, platinum, beryl aquamarine, emerald, tourmaline, nickel and sapphire (royal blue) spread across 15 local government areas like Birnin Gwari, Ikara, Jaba, Jema’a, Kajuru, Kauru, Sanga, Soba and Zaria among others.
But the state has yet to achieve its full gem potential due to insecurity, poor capital, lack of technical expertise, poor processing knowledge, and poor structuring of the industry.
Addressing the training of 36 artisanal and small scale mining operator on gemstones processing and jewellery making in Kaduna on Thursday, Dr Damisa of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who benchmarked Kaduna state with Israel, said, “Israel has very few gemstones compared to Kaduna state. Israel processed gem export was $5.97 billion during 2020 (despite the Covid-19 pandemic).
“Israel processed gem export to Canada alone was $20.01 million during 2020 according to the United Nations Comtrade database on international trade. Surface rent alone 5% on a single gem (emerald from Gwantu or Kafanchan) to government may be given as average market price of $305,000 per carat, for 10 carat per week will give $7.9 million per annum.”
For Master Faceter and Lapidary Consultant, Rev. Zephaniah Ndaja, gemstones are the most commonly mined minerals, though mainly artisanal. He said the gems, such as Jema’a blue (Jagindi tourmaline), Zaria green emerald and Antong Sapphire, command premium prices in the international market. He however urged value addition to the gems to create jobs adding that a gram of Jagindi blue which cost N50,000, when faceted will go for $2,000 or N1.1 million.
Kaduna state Commissioner for EnvIronmemt and Natural Resources, Ja’afaru Sani, said Kaduna state is diversifying from oil which would soon become extinct to solid minerals.
He said the training has shown that there are lots of potentials in the state considering what the trainees did with simple implement, adding that there would be further trainings in 2022 including business entrepreneurship model.
Managing Director/CEO of Kaduna Mining Development Company, Dr. Mohammed Usaini, unlike the previous training, this one is for graduates of polytechnics and universities.
He said the training is an all encompassing including processing, value addition, marketing, sourcing for capital etc.
