Mining: FG, Australia hold policy, capacity building workshop

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in partnership with the Australian High Commission is hosting a policy and capacity building workshop on the mining sector.
The two-day workshop, which holds between February 19 and 20 in Abuja, will provide information on leading practice from Western Australia on building a sustainable mining sector.
The aim of the workshop is to build the Nigerian mining and mineral sector’s capacity to deliver enhanced mineral exploration and mining regimes and promote on going education and training in mineral policy governance.
It will also foster partnerships for knowledge sharing and skills transfer to ensure leading practice in Nigeria.
Themed: “Policy and Capacity Building Workshop for a Successful and Sustainable Mining Sector 2018,” the workshop papers will be delivered by two senior officials from the Western Australian Government Department of Mines and Petroleum.
Speakers at the workshop will include representatives from the Ministry, as well as officials from the 36 state governments.
The workshop, which aims at exposing participants to the Australian mining operations techniques and international best practices, is a follow up to the earlier one that took place in November 2016.
Objectives of the workshop include provision of information on leading practice from Western Australia on building a sustainable mining sector and build capacity of the ministry staff for the delivery of enhanced mineral exploration and mining regimes.
Others are the promotion of ongoing education and training in mineral policy governance; fostering of partnerships for knowledge sharing and skills transfer to ensure leading practice across inter-country jurisdiction; and sharing of the 120 years of Western Australia’s experience in developing mineral resources industry.
Australia is one of the world’s leading mineral resources nations.
It is the world’s largest refiner of bauxite, fourth largest producer of primary aluminium, the largest producer of gem and industrial diamonds, lead and tantalum, mineral sands rutile and zircon and the third largest producer of gold and iron ore.