Assessing the Ecological Effects of Mining in West Africa: The Case of Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria’s abundant solid minerals constitute some of the largest known deposits in recent years under different categories. With the activities in the sector characterized by production and a growing environmental decline often overlooked. This research uses a mix scale approach of descriptive statistics and GIS methodology in analyzing the ecological impacts of mining in Nigeria. Emphases are on the issues, environmental and spatial analysis of the trends, factors associated with the issues and current efforts. The results not only reveal large deposits and changes in production, Nigeria’s mineral deposits showed continual growth much of the time despite a few declines. From a -16.98% drop in 2010-2011, aluminium deposits rose by 22.64-63.08% in 2008 to 2009 and the other years. With time, Illegal mining in Pandogari, Niger state stretched through a 17.5 km<SUP>2</SUP>-130 km<SUP>2</SUP> radius from 1992 to 1998. By the year 2000, mining operations extended further into a vast area measuring 200 km<SUP>2</SUP> and continued in 2004-2006 with more incursions onto 254-312 km<SUP>2</SUP>. The heavy toll of mining on the environment comes with the declines in forest land area in Bukuru, Plateau state where forest area of 420.52 km<SUP>2</SUP> in 1975 fell to 399.56 km<SUP>2</SUP> by 1986. The downward slide continued almost 20 years after in 2005 with only 155.63 km<SUP>2</SUP> area left with green cover. The other burden of pollution risks involves the 1,000 abandoned mine ponds, alongside 1,100-4,000 tin and columbite mines left behind from the mining booms of past eras in the 1960s and spread all over Jos, Plateau. These threats are compounded further by the 400 fatalities from lead poisoning triggered by illegal quarrying in Zamfara in 2010. The GIS mapping of the trends showed clusters of areas prone to hazards and the dispersion of solid mineral potentials in the nation with the impacts linked to socio-economic elements. For mitigation, the study offered suggestions ranging from education to regular assessment of ecological liabilities and the need for policy enhancement.