The Federal Executive Council, at its third meeting of the year on Monday, approved the procurement of a N2.5 billion satellite gadget to combat illegal mining in the country.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, said this while briefing State House Correspondents, after the FEC meeting.

He said the technology was an integrated solution framework to combat unlicensed, unregulated, underreported mining activities.

The minister said the technology deployment would curb activities that had led to revenue leakages, illegal operations, and illegal extraction and exploitation of the country’s minerals

Alake said his ministry introduced the technology in addition to a two-pronged strategy to combat illegal mining.