The Federal Government has unveiled two aircraft earmarked for Airborne Geophysical Survey activities to enhance mining data collection in Nigeria.
Speaking during the inspection of two survey aircraft at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, provided insight into the use of the aircraft.
He said, “What we are here to do is part of a programme to acquire data on the minerals in Nigeria. This is a very basic method of acquiring data through geophysical measurements.
The aircraft are special as they have equipment in them that monitor certain parameters on ground. They work when the ground is dry.
“The recordings in these equipment are transferred unto computers that would interpret them. This will give us data that can be utilised.”
He also disclosed that the survey project was a product of World Bank’s Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification Project in the ministry, adding that the aircraft were provided by a South African company, Xcalibur Multiphysics, selected from an open international competition.
– Punch