May 28, 2021
By Mohamed M. Sesay
A high delegation from the National Minerals Agency (NMA) Led by the Deputy Director General, has yesterday informed a galaxy of journalists that the newly launched airborne Geophysical Data is not only meant for the purposes of mines and minerals sector, but also useful for Urban Planning and Agricultural purposes.
Disclosing this at the Ministry of Information and Communications’ presser, the Deputy Director General of the National Minerals Agency (NMA) Dr. Kelvin Anderson explained that the launch and exhibition of the Geodata marks a new dawn of the new era in the Mines and Minerals Sector in Sierra Leone.
He said Sierra Leoneans will now know the full extent of the country’s geology and mineral potential.
He added that, One of the key policy action point in cluster 2.6 in the Sierra Leone Medium Term Development Plan is to undertake countrywide airborne Geophysical Survey which was what the government has done. He added that the government aims to significantly increase the revenue generated from the mines and minerals sector for the maximum benefit of the people of Sierra Leone, noting that the Geodata Survey also aims at understanding the country’s mineral potential.
Dr. Anderson maintained that Geophysical Data forms a vital component of the country’s strategy in attracting investment in the mines and mineral sector by positioning the country as a viable destination for investors. With the availability of the Geodata, he said investors can now quickly and confidently select prospective areas for mining operation. He disclosed that the nationwide Geophysical Survey outcome will now assist in mapping out and securing new resources for development, employment creation, economic growth and accelerated transformation adding that such information will attract credible investors in order to ensure the mining sector plays a leading role in the country’s financial and transformational aspiration.
“With the completion of the airborne Geophysical Survey, the National Minerals Agency and the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Resources are now soliciting fund to undertake a comprehensive nationwide Geochemical and Geological Surveys and a follow-up airborne Electro-Magnetic survey in order to augment the output and strengthen the scientific knowledge of the mines and minerals sector”, he intimated.
Dr. Anderson concluded that the NMA has also embarked on marketing the Geodata survey deliverables to the global mining community whiles emphasizing that, Sierra Leone has generated one of the best high resolution countrywide geophysical data coverage in the world due to its close line spacing and low ground clearance. He also intimated that NMA has developed and improved a standardized, and integrated Geo Scientific Data Management System in order to provide transparent, accessible and updated Geo-scientific Data and Information on exploration and mining license including physical and community development information related to the management and administration of the mineral device.
On his part, the Director of Survey Design and Interpretation Process Training Tim Archer, also confessed that Sierra Leone has huge mineral potentials but over the years, he said the country was not sure where those mineral potentials are located, how much potential it is, and of what commodity valune are those mineral potentials. He added that Sierra Leone has now arrived on the edge of the new era in Geological exploration which has been lacking for years back. As the world moves into the next century, he said Sierra Leone also has to move ahead with the existing trend of the economic viability of which the minerals are very essential for the development of the country.
Tim Archer continued that the reason they did the Geophysical Survey is to get an improved Geological Map so that they will know where the minerals are, and to also know what mineral potential the country has. He said the survey was not only limited to minerals that the country has been mining for more than hundred years, but also to discover brand new minerals that have never been discovered or seen before which will attract the world to come to Sierra Leone and buy those minerals. He also disclosed that th Geophysical Survey cost about six million dollars but there are also plans to recoup that money through the sales of the Geophysical Data to prospective credible investors in Sierra Leone and also International Investors intending to come and mine in the country.