The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has disclosed that more than 4,000 abandoned mine pits exist across Plateau State, following the death of seven people in a collapsed mine pit at Kassa in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

Alake stated that many of the abandoned pits, dug by former mining companies, now pose serious environmental and safety challenges but could be converted into productive ventures through proper rehabilitation.

The minister disclosed this in a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, in the aftermath of the tragic mine pit collapse at Kassa.

Alake described the incident, which claimed seven lives, as tragic and avoidable, warning artisanal miners against entering abandoned mine pits without obtaining the required licences and permits.

He urged artisanal miners to organise themselves into cooperatives and obtain the necessary approvals to enable them to operate legally.

According to the minister, the large number of abandoned mine pits scattered across Plateau State was a legacy of the activities of the former Amalgamated Tin Mines Limited and its successor companies, Consolidated Tin Mines Limited and Nigerian Tin and Allied Products Limited.

He said the Federal Government had so far rehabilitated 59 abandoned mine pits, while also introducing technology-driven measures to identify and assess thousands of other abandoned sites.

Alake explained that the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development had entered into a public-private partnership to deploy Geographic Information System satellite mapping and Artificial Intelligence to locate and characterise the abandoned mine pits.

He said Plateau State would serve as the pilot beneficiary of the initiative, which would also develop plans for the eventual reclamation of the sites.

The minister further urged private investors to partner with the government to transform the abandoned mine sites into productive ventures, including energy, tourism and fisheries projects.

He described public-private partnership as the “most proactive and fastest approach” to converting the abandoned pits from environmental and safety hazards into productive assets.

“The challenge before the state and the Federal Government is how to turn these potential pits of death into centres of joyful prosperity,” Alake said.