LONDON, UK: Orosur Mining Inc., a minerals explorer and developer with operations in Colombia, Argentina and Brazil, has announced a joint venture agreement with Jurassic Mines Ltd. to explore for lithium in Nigeria.

The company believes that Nigeria has great potential for lithium pegmatite deposits, which are used to make batteries for electric vehicles and other applications.

Orosur will invest up to US$5 million over five years to earn up to 70% equity in the project, which covers four exploration licences in Nigeria’s main pegmatite belt. The company has a team of experienced geologists ready to start field work immediately.

Orosur has been looking for opportunities to enter the lithium market for a long time, but had not found any attractive options in South America. The company’s executive team has strong connections and experience in Nigeria, which helped them secure the joint venture with Jurassic.

Nigeria is emerging as one of the most promising regions in Africa for lithium exploration, thanks to recent geoscience mapping projects by the Nigerian government that revealed the country’s lithium potential. Nigeria also has a growing artisanal mining sector that targets pegmatite minerals such as niobium and tantalum.

Orosur CEO Brad George commented: “Orosur has been examining entry into the lithium space for several years, but as with our other projects, we have pursued an early stage, low entry cost strategy, based upon detailed geological understanding of the local mineralising systems.  Nigeria is clearly on a different continent, but with the extensive Nigerian experience of myself and our Chairman Louis Castro, together with our partner’s excellent local team, we are entirely confident in our ability to develop this exciting opportunity in Nigeria in harmony with our equally exciting South American assets which we will continue to progress as planned.”