Kishesha lead silver mine, Jos Plateau, Plateau, Nigeriai

Regional Level Types
Kishesha lead silver mine	Mine
Jos Plateau	Plateau
Plateau	State
Nigeria	Country

A small but very high grade lead silver mine which is occasionally mined underground by local miners. It is situated a few hundred meters east of Kishesha village, right on the border between Plateau State and Kaduna State.

Given the artisanal nature of this mine, no production figures are known.The hand-cobbed mineral concentrate is said to be sold to Chinese dealers in Jos, the provincial capital.

The history of the mine is not known in much detail. The official 1960 topographical sheet covering the area, mentions a mining camp on the map. According to the village chief of Kishesha (site visit in November 2007), earliest mining activities date back to the late 19th century.

Geologically, this is a series (?) of polymetallic Pb-Zn-Ag-Cu-As-Sb veins which are probably genetically related to the nearby Kigom alkaline complex with its rather unique molybdenite occurrence/mine. Host rocks are Archean gneisses, Quaternary basalts cover much of the area and it is not excluded that under the basalts more comparable vein type deposits could be discovered. Comparable Pb-Ag vein occurrences have been known and mined in the wider region since decades.

The head grade of the ore must be very high. A non-representative grab sample from the waste pile returned 12% Pb, 400 g/t Ag and 6% Zn.

Note: Google Earth puts the coordinates of this mine into Kaduna State, according to the local authorities Kishesha is situated in Plateau State.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References