The Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel has commenced sensitisation campaign in four secondary schools in Kano state on the need for science-based students to study geology.

The Assistant Director in the ministry, Mr Paul Mshelia, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Kano.

He said the decision to embark on the sensitisation programme was aimed at encouraging students to study geology to enable them take up a career in future.

“Some of the activities we carried out in Kano, include upgrading our museum by equipping it with different types of rocks, minerals and fossils.

“We also produce and distribute bulletin on our activities, among others.

“We did a proposal at airport road, where we collected some samples for geo-chemical analysis, did detailed work on them to know if they were gold or other minerals,’’ he said.

Mshelia said the Federal Government had directed the ministry to find out the types of local mineral resources available in each state of the federation.

He said following the directive, the ministry in Kano had discovered about 18 different minerals in some local government areas.

He said the local government areas where the field works were conducted included Bichi, Kibiya, Karaye, Sumaila, Kazaure, Wudil, Doguwa and Bebeji.

“The minerals discovered are Kaolin, Calcite, Amethyst, Silica, Pyrite, Zinc, Pyroclore and Quartz among others.

“From time to time, investors also come to us to find out the viability of a particular rock for quarrying.

He said that the ministry organised ‘Mineral Clinic Day’ every month, where investors were hosted by the ministry.

“In Kano municipal, we go to places like dams and bridge sites as part of the programme’’, he said. (NAN)