Company Profile
Mineral Exploration & Mining
Forthbridge Energy Services Limited (“Forthbridge Limited”) is a Nigerian mid-tier construction, minerals exploration and mining company set up to target under-explored mining assets in West Africa.
With its 5-year operational record and its focus on the mining of precious, base and rare earth metal assets within domestic, regional and international markets, Forthbridge Limited is actively positioning itself to become one of Nigeria’s most dynamic mining companies.
Led by a competent and professional management team with backgrounds ranging from Banking & Finance to Geology and Project Management, Forthbridge aims to fully leverage on its team’s local knowledge and international exposure in the exploration of important assets in Nigeria, and by extension, Africa.
Site View
The company prides itself on its strategic and highly successful community-inclusive business model which absorbs both a skilled and unskilled labour force at its mining locations, thereby guaranteeing the company’s conflict-free operations.
To fulfil its goal of becoming an important mining entity in Nigeria, Forthbridge seeks to develop a portfolio of low unit cost and long-life assets using best-in-class mining process, rapidly monetizing assets through phased development approach.
The Nigerian metals & mining sector had global revenues of $0.4bn in 2016, totalling a CAGR of 2.10 percent in the timespan 2012-2016.” (Source: Ministry of Mines and Steel Development)
Premised on current activities as well as the successful execution of its planned mining activities over the next 5 years, Forthbridge is projecting sales revenues in the region of NGN 544million by the end of the 4th quarter of 2018, which is anticipated to rise to NGN 1.3billion by of 2022.
Nassarawa - Current Assets of Interest
Facilities
Our mine is equipped with the following state-of-the art facilities:
- 70 ton/hr processing plant (powered by 80 kva generator)
- Material dump to accommodate 3,000 tonnes of material
- One 320BLCAT Excavator
- 1 DX 300LCA Doosan Excavator
- One 966GCAT Payloader
- 2 Foton Trucks
- 45,000 litre water tank
- 2 aquifers of 310,000 litres each
- 2 Boreholes (240 and 120 feet)
- 40 feet container serving as the mine office
Asset Development Strategy
PHASE I
| Activity | Status |
|---|---|
| Obtain an Exploration Licence and Small Scale Mining License (SSML) | Completed |
| Upscale from SSML to a full scale Mining License | On-going |
|
Completed |
| Further exploration to increase resource by identifying more alluvial | Commenced & continuous |
|
Completed |
|
Commenced & continuous |
|
Commenced & continuous |
PHASE II
| Activity | Status |
|---|---|
| Acquire magnetic separator to serve all the neighbouring mines in Kogi and Nassarawa | On-going |
|
Yet to commence |
|
Yet to commence |
|
Yet to commence |
Asset Development Approach - Open Pit Mining
Forthbridge’s plan is to adopt 3 different mining methodologies, depending on the topography of area being worked in its 120 cadastre.
The sequence approach, whereby the ground will be opened up in a step-wise form, will be the primary approach:
- Based on the size of the mine (120 cadastre; 24km), materials shall be sourced in fractions
- This provides insight into how much material can be acquired in a block.
- Mine area will be sectioned in block patterns with sizes of each block being 30m x 30m x 2m (L x W x H). The bench height being (2m - 3m) with slope.
Project Approach - Ore Processing
Forthbridge is currently carrying out pilot mining where ore concentrates are recovered using a jig processor.
Full Phase I processing plant utilizes a mobile 70 ton/hour gravity separation modular plant. The processing plant is fit-for-purpose using simple technology and operated by local skilled staff.
Fine grained assets (Tin, Columbite & Tantalite) will be recovered using a jig system for improved recovery. Specification of the processing plant are:
70 ton per hr, 4 cells jig, Double cell placer, 6-inch high pressure water pump, Electrical panel, Conveyor belt for waste evacuation, Drainages, Watching trommel, Hopper, Lowbed
Ore Processing II
1
Raw materials are loaded on the upper part of processing plant with aid of water jet
2
Materials are pushed through the trommel with a water jet
3
Heavy materials are pushed to the conveyor belt and smaller materials go through the sieve
4
Smaller materials are further pushed in the jig which sucks in the smaller materials (i.e. Priming)
5
In the course of priming, the heavy particles are sucked down whilst the remaining materials proceed to the final stage
6
At the final stage, these materials go through the gravity-separation technique where the relatively heavier materials are further sieved and separated from even lighter materials
7
The lightest materials which pass through the gravity-separation technique are the final products
Asset Focus
Our Near-Term Asset Focus: Tin, Columbite, Tourmaline, Tantalite, Granite
Our Medium-Term Asset Focus: Gold. Quartz, Zinc, Lead
Opportunities
Asset Focus
Forthbridge’s near-term focus is in alluvial, eluvia and hard rock assets (Tin, Columbite, Tourmaline, Tantalite and Gravel) for exploration, mining and processing
The company plans to expand to gold, quartz, zinc and lead over the next 5 years
Market Focus
Forthbridge plans to position its operations (exploration, mining and processing) to match not only the domestic/local market but the medium term plan is to penetrate the international market in these identified assets of choice. Hence the need for an ISO certification at a later date.
Human Capital
As a company that prides itself in its human resources, Forthbridge has painstakingly created an HR Management structure to ensure the effective hiring and satisfactory compensation of competent people to achieve corporate goals.
Staff Development
As an organisation, Forthbridge’s goal is to assure a well-trained workforce is available to staff current and planned mining operations and we have mapped out planned trainings in the following areas:
- Heavy Equipment Operations
- Maintenance Technicality
- STEM / Engineering
- Health & Safety
- Community Development
Oftentimes, the Nigerian environment (both in the public & private sector) poses one of the most challenging environments to conduct business activities. This has been compounded by the near-dearth of full-appreciation of rudimentary technical & business development skills especially as it affects processes, structured planning and organizational branding. This scenario gives rise to gaps characterized by technical incompetence, inefficient processes, sloppiness in market approach and weak competitive edge which all poses as difficulties to business growth. Forthbridge Limited has developed diverse strategic solutions in the area of mining and construction, to push the Nigerian solid mineral products, put Nigeria on the fore front in terms of mining and construction.
