Exploring Nigeria’s mining industry

Mining is simply the extraction of valuable minerals cum other geological materials from the earth crust, usually from lode, vein, ore-body, seam, reef, or placer, deposits. These deposits constitute a mineralized package that is of economic interest to the prospective miner. Ores gotten via mining activity are gemstones, limestone, coal, oil shale, metals, dimension stone, clay, gravel, potash, and rock salt, among others.

Mining is required to obtain essential commodities that cannot be possibly grown via agricultural processes, or created artificially in a factory or laboratory. Mining of stones and metals has been a well recognized human occupation since prehistoric era. Modern days mining processes involve prospecting for ore bodies, analyzing the profit potential of the proposed mine, extraction of the desired materials, and final reclamation of the affected land after the mine is closed.

The economic importance of mining cannot be overemphasized. In Ghana, for instance, the country’s mining sector is a very vital segment of its economy, and has played a significant role in its socio-economic development since the colonial period. Historically, the Ghanaian mining sector’s contribution to the country’s gross foreign exchange – particularly gold – has only been paralleled by its cocoa sector.

Not only do the products power the family car as well as heat the family home, the manufacturing sector, high tech industries, and even the better known resource industries are all dependent – in one way or the other – on the mining industry. The mining industry will continue to be an important support to the economy of any country that embraces it. Aside boosting Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it encourages high rate of employment opportunities and equally ensures that the number of entrepreneurs in the country is increased tremendously.

In spite of the ongoing boom in the sector, Nigeria still lags behind. It’s shocking to note that notwithstanding the unquantifiable solid minerals the country is blessed with, mining accounts for barely 0.3 per cent of the country’s GDP due largely to the influence of its vast petroleum resources. The country’s domestic mining industry is obviously underdeveloped, leading to importation of minerals such as, but not limited to, iron-ore and salt, that could be domestically produced.

Rights to ownership of mineral resources is held by the Federal Government which grants titles to interested organizations to explore, mine, and sell mineral resources but the business has been relatively unpopular. The Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration began a process of selling off government-owned mining corporations to private investors in 1999; till date, those firms are lying moribund. On assumption of office, the President Mohammadu Buhari-led government assured Nigerians that the administration would rejuvenate the mining industry; yet at the moment, no serious impact has been recorded, perhaps owing to lack of policy direction.

It’s high time Nigeria started mining the available solid mineral deposits that abound in the country. These include among others, tale, gypsum, lead, zinc, bentonite, gold, uranium, bitumen, coal, rock salt, gemstones, kaolin and barite. This can only be actualized by deploring the required techniques tactically, as well as imbibing viable policies into the system.

However, it’s pertinent to acknowledge that mining, like petroleum drilling, is associated with various environmental factors. These include erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, coupled with contamination of soil, ground cum surface water by chemicals from mining processes. In some cases, additional forest logging is done in the vicinity of mines to create space for the storage of the created debris and soil. Basic examples of pollution from mining activities include coal fires, which can last for years, leading to severe environmental damage. This can be properly controlled through the effort of the concerned law enforcement agency by implementing stringent environmental and rehabilitation Acts.

Now that diversification of the country’s economy remains the only way to overcome the lingering recessionary era, the government ought to endeavour to take the bull by the horn towards ensuring that the mining industry is accorded deserved attention. For this dream to be holistically actualized, hands of fellowship must be duly and sincerely extended to the cognoscenti who can spur the industry to do more even when challenges are enormous.

Considering the impact the mining industry can have on the country’s economy at large, it’s needless to state that exploring the sector is long overdue. Serious and feasible action is needed. Think about it!

Fred Doc Nwaozor