Geography (UACE 250/2) paper 2 Mining in the world

 

Mining is the process whereby mineral ores in commercial quantities are obtained from earth crust and purified to a form in which they can be sold.

Types of minerals

• Metallic mineral include gold, copper, iron, lead etc.
• Nonmetallic minerals include sulphur, petroleum oil, diamond, asbestos etc.

Mining in selected countries

Nigeria

• The major mineral exploited in Nigeria include, petroleum and natural gas in the Niger delta coal in the Benue valley and Enugu, Tin from Jos plateau, Gold at Ibadan etc.
• Nigeria is one of leading oil producers on the African continent and also a member of OPEC.
• The major mining towns include; Enugu. Ibadan, Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, etc.

DRC

• The major mineral are gold, diamonds, coal, copper, cobalt, uranium, lead, zinc, tin etc.
• The major mining areas include Katanga province, Kasai, Kivu and the coastal areas of DRC.
• The major mining towns include; Kasai, Kipushi, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Mbuji mayi, etc.
• DRC is one of the leading copper producers on the African continent and worldwide.

Liberia

• . The major minerals are Iron Ore, Gold, Diamond, etc.
• The mining sites include, the Bie hills, the Bong hills, the Mano river valley, the Bomi hills, Wologos area and the Nimba Mountains.

 

 

Germany ·

• The major minerals are: coal, natural gas, iron ore etc.
• Mining centres are: Wesel, Duisburg, Essen, Bochum, Dortmund etc.
• Mining sites are: Siege land region (iron ore), Ruhr (Coal, Natural gas, Iron ore) etc.

USA/ Great Lakes region

• Minerals mined include iron, nickel, copper around Lake Huron, salt around Lake Erie, Uranium North East of Lake Superior coal in Cleveland.
• .Mode of transport: St. Lawrence sea-way, canals, railway etc.

Zambian Copper belt

• Minerals mined include copper from Ndola to the border Mountain of DRC at Kipushi /Lubumbashi. Other minerals include Cobalt.
• Mode of transport: Tazama / Tanzara railway from Beira to Lobito and Ndola to Dar-es-salaam.

The Rand of South Africa

• The major minerals are Gold, Diamonds, Copper, Coal, Chrome, iron ore etc.
• Major mining centres are: Johannesburg, springs, Germistone, Kruggersdorp etc.

Ghana

• Major mineral are gold from Ashanti uplands, Huni valley; diamond from Akwatia and Brim valley; petroleum from Jubilee field etc.

Libya

• Major mineral are petroleum from Bouri, Elepphant etc.

The factors which have favored the development of mining industry in a country

• Presence of large deposits of the minerals supporting commercial exploitation.
• High levels of technology used e.g. the use of mechanical shoves, dragline excavation, bucket conveyors etc.
• The high grade of minerals.
• Efficient transport systems by use of water, roads, railway etc.
• Presence of skilled and unskilled labour to work in the mines and in the industries.
• Presence of large market for the minerals.
• Presence of capital for investment in the mining industry.
• The good government policy to support the mining industry, industrialization, local and foreign investment.
• Improved research e.g. on mineral reserves, prospects technology etc.
• Presence of water e.g. for softening the ground, for mixing solutes, for cooling etc.
• Availability of power for running the mining technology and the processing industries
• The political stability promoting local and foreign investment.

  Factors that limit exploitation of minerals developing countries

• Conflicts over ownership of mineral resources E.g. Ogoni of Niger delta conflicting with the central government and mining companies (shell).
• Political instability/insecurity scares away investors e.g. M23 rebels in DRC and Boko Haram rebels in Nigeria.
• Limited market for minerals/decline in demand limits mining.
• Fluctuation in world market prices for minerals e.g. petroleum (Nigeria), copper (DRC).
• Poorly developed transport networks e.g. poor roads and railways interfere with transportation of minerals.
• Thick vegetation cover in Nigeria and DRC limits the surveying, exploration and exploitation of minerals.
• Unfavorable climatic factors e.g. excessive rain /poor drainage which lead to flooding of mines.
• Inadequate skilled labour which calls for dependence of experts from foreign countries which are expensive.
• Poorly developed technology which limits mining and leads to production of poor quality mineral products.
• Limited capital resources for investing the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources.
• Profit repatriation by foreign companies reduces capital for reinvestment e.g. shell in Nigeria.
• Existence of minerals in small and scattered quantities makes them non-economical to exploit.
• Nature of occurrence of minerals/ Deep depth of mineral Ores and thus uneconomical to exploit.
• Accidents in mine which scare away the labor force e.g. collapsing of mines which bury miners underground.
• Environmental pollution.
• Inadequate power supply coupled with the high cost of power makes mining unprofitable.
• Mineral exhaustion due to over exploitation e.g. copper in DRC.
• Unsupportive government policies where governments do not consider mining as a priority sector.
• Limited research thus limiting prospection exploration, surveying and exploitation and processing of minerals.
• Inadequate water supply for exploitation and processing of minerals e.g. northern Nigeria
• Strikes and demonstrations which paralyses mining activities and lead to destruction of property.
• Corruption and embezzlement.

 

 Contributions of mining industry      

 Positive effects of mining industry

• Diversification of the economic activities.
• Source of employment to the population.
• Source of revenue to the government.
• Source of foreign exchange earnings.
• Provides raw materials for industrial development/ raw materials for construction
• Development of urban centres.
• Promotes development of social services e.g. schools, health facilities, housing, electricity etc.
• Promotes establishment of transport and communication network e.g. railways, roads, canals etc.
• Promote trade and international relationships.
• Generation power for domestic and industrial use.
• Promotes research and education.
• Encourages capital inflow/attracts foreign investors.
• Improvement of international relationship through trade
• Leads to the development of the tourist industry.
• Mining has led to acquisition of skills related to mining e.g. Geo Survey, mapping, Geology, mining etc.

Negative contributions of mining industry

• Removal of fertile top soils- leads to loss of agricultural land.
• Destruction of vegetation cover.
• Pollution of air, water and land resources.
• Leads to mineral exhaustion.
• Leads to urbanization and its negative effects such as insecurity, congestion, poor hygiene.
• Leads to rural-urban migration.
• Leads to political instability in developing countries due to greed.
• Accidents during mining such as collapse of the mine killing employs and property.
• Displacement of the local occupants.
• Destruction of landscape.
• Encourages strikes especially in South Africa.
• Unemployment due to use of advanced technology.
• Lack of labour in other sectors such agriculture because majority of able young men are employed in mining industry
• Potholes are filled with water harboring vectors such as mosquitoes.

 

 

Thank you

Dr. Bbosa Science