…Navy arrests 13 illegal silicon miners in Bayelsa
Residents and stakeholders in communities along the Atlantic coastline in Bayelsa State are questioning the application of Nigeria’s mining laws following the arrest of 13 silicon (black sand) miners by men of the Nigerian Navy.
Silicon (black sand) is an abundant natural resource in Bayelsa State’s brackish waters and it is known that several communities have entered into agreements with miners to exploit the natural resource for rare earth minerals.
Rare earth minerals find wide use in the manufacture of electronic components in computers and other high tech products.
The race for the mining of silicon gained traction following the unending trade disputes between the United States of America and China, which has the largest rare earth minerals in the world.
BusinessDay gathered that the arrest of the 13 persons, by the Nigerian Navy over alleged illegal black sand mining has triggered
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