Write a geographical account of mining in Nigeria under the following headings: (a) four mineral deposits; (b) one town that is important for the mining of ...

Mining in Nigeria

(a) and (b) Mineral deposits and important mining towns

Graphical location of the selected mining towns

(c) Benefits of mining in Nigeria

1. Employment: Mining provides direct employment for miners, engineers and administrators, as well as indirect employment in transport, trading and processing.
2. Revenue and foreign exchange: Export of minerals, especially petroleum, earns foreign exchange and provides revenue for government through taxes, royalties and export duties.
3. Industrial and infrastructural development: Minerals provide raw materials for industries, for example limestone for cement manufacture. Mining also encourages the development of roads, railways, ports and mining settlements.

(d) Negative effects of mining on the environment of mining areas

1. Land degradation: Open-cast mining, drilling and dredging destroy vegetation and farmland, leaving pits, spoil heaps and derelict land.
2. Pollution: Mining may pollute air, land and water. Oil spills contaminate rivers and farmlands, while gas flaring pollutes the atmosphere.
3. Erosion, flooding and health hazards: Excavated and abandoned pits encourage erosion and may collect stagnant water, creating breeding places for mosquitoes and other disease vectors.