Explanation:
A geographical account of mining in Nigeria under the following headings:
(a) MINERAL DEPOSITS
- coal
- petroleum
- natural gas
- limestone
- gold
- iron ore
- tin
- columbite
- lignite
- lead
- zinc etc.
(b) MINING TOWNS FOR THE MINERALS
- COAL (Enugu, Okaba, Otukpo)
- PETROLEUM (Port Harcourt, Ward, Ughelli, Akwa lbom, Oloibiri etc.)
- NATURAL GAS (Afam, Warri, Port Harcourt etc.)
- LIMESTONE (Ewekoro, Shagamu, Ibese, Ukpilla, Calabar, Nkalagu, Obajana, Sokoto, Gboko, Ashaka etc.)
- GOLD (Ilesha, Sokoto, Minna etc.) - IRON ORE (Itakpe, Aladja, Ajaokuta etc,)
- TIN (Jos, Bukuru, Barkin-Ladi etc.) - COLUMBITE (Bukuru, Barkin-Ladi etc.)
- LIGNITE (Onitsha, Asaba etc.)
(c) BENEFITS OF MINING IN NIGERIA
- employment opportunities
-foreign exchange earnings
- growth of towns
- infrastructural development
- growth of ancillary industries
- income to miners
- improvement in balance of payment/trade
- production of geological maps
- funding of education and research
- attraction of foreign investment
- development of ports and habours
- tourists attraction
- provision of social amenities
- acquisition of skills
- raw materials for industries
- technology transfer
- revenue generation to government
- acquisition of essential goods
- diversification of the economy
- improvement of standard of living
- foreign exchange conservation
(d) NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF MINING ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF MINING AREAS
- environmental pollution
- destruction of soil structure
- loss of soil fertility
- deforestation
- loss of important plants
- loss of animals
- distorts the ecosystem.
- wastage of land
- loss of landscape/aesthetic beauty of surroundings
- breeding places for pests
- health hazards e.g. air-borne diseases
- displacements of settlements
- erosion
- communal conflict
- climate change
- flooding