The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has said a total of 67,164.02 tons of lead and zinc ore worth $23,561,886.63 were extracted and exported from the country in 2014, making them the highest exported solid minerals in the country for that period.
NEITI, which made the revelation in its 2014 audit report of activities in the country’s solid minerals sector which it released recently in Abuja, also said the total value of exported solid minerals from the country within the period was $26,136,471.87.
According to it, a total of 67,164.02 tons of lead and zinc ore worth $23,561,886.63 were extracted and exported from the country in 2014, making them the highest exported solid minerals in the country for that period.
Following this were columbite and gold ore and concentrates (ounces) with extracted volumes and export worth of 960 and 500 tons, as well as $721,806.60 and $600,000 respectively. Also mined and exported in 2014 was 773.80 tons of copper ore worth $466,568.90.
NEITI equally noted that while Nigeria’s total export at Free on Board (FOB) in 2014 was $2,497,445,196.64 excluding oil and gas, the solid minerals sector accounted for about four per cent of this total export.
According to it, the sector also contributed 0.11 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) ratio within the year.
