Types of Mineral Resources in Nigeria & List

Nigeria is one of those nations in the world that is blessed with a wide range of mineral resources. We listed the types of mineral resources in Nigeria.

Nigeria is rich with Natural Resources ranging from valuable metals different stones to modern, for example, Barites, Gypsum, Kaolin, and Marble. It is believed there mineral resources are yet to be found in many parts of Nigeria, the degree of abuse of these minerals are low in connection to the degree of the wall round in the nation. One of the aims of the new National Policy on Solid Minerals is to guarantee the deliberate advancement of the mineral resources of the nation. 

There are enormous opportunities for investors in the mineral segment of the Nigerian economy. Prospecting licenses for investors (both citizens and foreigners) to invest in the huge mineral assets in Nigeria are conceded by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. 

Types of Mineral Resources in Nigeria 

• Fuel
• Metallic
• Non-metallic

Minerals in Nigeria are classified into three classes’ fuel, metallic and non-metallic. Fuel minerals like coal, oil and gaseous petrol have prime significance as they represent about 87% of the estimation of mineral value while metallic and non-metallic represents 6 to 7%. 

A mineral is a pure inorganic substance that is mostly found on the earth’s crust. The majority of the Earth’s crust, aside from the outer part which is made of organic materials, is comprised of minerals. Some minerals in Nigeria comprise a single element component, for example, gold, silver, and sulfur. 

Mineral resources can appear in a solid, liquid or gaseous form, in the Earth’s crust in a way that it’s extracted and refined into valuable materials or things that is gainful in the feature. Mineral resources can be metals or non-metals; metal compromises iron, copper, and aluminum), and non-metals (for example salt, gypsum, clay, sand, and phosphates). 

Details on the Types Of Mineral Resources In Nigeria

(A) Fuel Minerals: 

Coal, crude oil and natural gas are vital fossil fuel. Nigeria has good reserves for coal however are extremely poor when compared with that of fuel — oils and natural gas.

(i) Coal 

Nigerian coal is one of the most bituminous in the world, accounting to its low sulfur and debris content for a friendly environment. There are about 3 numerous showed holds in 17 distinguished coal fields and more than 600 million tons of proven reserves.

(ii) Crude Oil (Petroleum): 

It is accepted that oil has been formed over a long number of years, through a change of remains of microorganisms in the ocean, into hydrocar¬bon by heat, a weight and synergist activity. The oil on refining and further processing give Nigeria numerous materials and results. 

Nigeria has large amount of petroleum that goes out of the country on a daily basis and it could be changed depending on the demand.

(iii) Natural Gas: 

There are metals that are hard which generate power and heat with qualities of shine or lustre metals are called metallic minerals. For instance Silver, Chromium, Tin, Nickel, Copper, Iron, Lead, Aluminum, Gold, and Zinc. 

(B) Metallic Minerals 

• Metallic Minerals shows a metallic sparkle in their appearance. 
• The potential source of the metal that is produced by mining. 
• Contains metals in their compound arrangement. 
• Metallic minerals contain metal in crude form. 

Grouping of metallic minerals: 

1. Ferrous metallic minerals 
2. Nonferrous metallic minerals 

Minerals that contain iron are called ferrous mineral. Examples are Chromites, Iron metal, and manganese. 

Minerals that don’t contain iron are called non-ferrous minerals. Examples are lead, silver, gold, and copper. 

There is a group of chemical compound when dissolved don’t create another element. Such unique groups are called Nonmetallic minerals. E.g Dimension stone, halite, sand, gypsum, uranium, rock.

(C) Nonmetallic Mineral Resources in Nigeria

• Minerals show up with a non-metallic sparkle or gloss 
• Do not contain extractable metals in their compound grouping 

Uses of Minerals in Nigeria

The uses of minerals rely on their deposits. Nigeria is blessed with many mineral properties. The best use of minerals relies upon its properties. For example, Aluminum is light, solid and sturdy in nature, so it is used for airship transportation, and vehicle industries. 

Minerals are used in practically all ventures. Gold, silver, and platinum are used mostly by the jewelry industries. Copper is used in the coin industries and for making pipe channels and wire. Silicon gotten from quartz is used me the computer industry. 

Minerals produce the materials used in making most of the automated based society; roads, vehicles, laptops and computers, composts, etc. Demands for mineral resources are expanding here in Nigeria and global as the populace increments and the utilization demands unique individuals increment. The mining of the earth’s mineral resources in Nigeria is, there­fore booming, and it has an environmental disaster. 

Nigeria is Best known for Oil making it second in Africa and among the top ten Oil-producing countries in the world. The Proven Nigeria oil walls are 23 Billion barrels; the gas walls are 160 Trillion cubic meters.

List of Mineral Resources In Nigeria

• Talc

More than 40 million tons of talc have been found in Niger, Osun, Kogi, Ogun, and Kaduna states. The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC’s) 3,000 tons per annum reactant Talc plant in Niger state is the only talc plant in the nation. The talc business speaks to one of the most adaptable areas of the natural resources of the world. The abuse of these minerals would in this way fulfill the local markets and for exportation.

• Gypsum 

Gypsum is a significant contribution to the production of Cement. It is likewise used to produce Plaster of Paris (P.O.P) and chalks used in the classroom. A blueprint for enormous scale mining of gypsum is required to support the current plants and meet the future extension. However, at the time of writing this article, cement production is put at 8 million tons for each annum while the national requirement is 9.6 million tons. Around one billion tons of gypsum are spread over many states in Nigeria.

• Iron Ore

There are more than 3 billion metrics of iron ore found in Kogi, Enugu and the Niger States and the Federal Capital Territory. Iron Ore is being mined at Itakpe in Kogi State and is being beneficiated, up to 67 percent of iron. The Aladja and Ajaokuta Steel complexes  are ready for the buyer of billets and other iron items for down-stream enterprises

• Lead/Zinc 

About 10 million tons of lead/zinc veins are found in eight states of Nigeria. Proven reserves in three prospects in the east-central territory are 5 million tons. Joint associates are urged to produce and distribute the different lead/zinc everywhere in the nation. 

• Bentonite and Baryte 

These are the essential constituents of the mud used in the boring of many types of oil wells. The Nigerian baryte has an explicit gravity of about 4.3. Over 7.5 million tons of baryte have been discovered in Taraba and Bauchi States. 700 million tons are accessible in many states of the nation used for huge improvement and exploration.

• Gold 

There are proven reserves of both alluvial and primary gold in the schist belt of Nigeria situated in the south-western part of the nation. The stores are mostly alluvial and are right being exported in small scales since there is not much to export in large quantities. Private investors are welcome to stake concessions on these resources. 

• Bitumen 

The adventure of bitumen in Nigeria is shown at around 42 billion tons; nearly twice the measure of crude oil. Expository outcomes recommend that this mineral can be used as a black-top folio. However, however, Most bitumen used for the construction of roads in Nigeria is imported. 

• Coal 

Nigerian coal is one of the most bituminous in the world, accounting to its low sulfur and debris content for a friendly environment. There are about 3 billion tons of showed holds in 17 distinguished coal fields and more than 600 million tons of proven reserves.

• Rock Salt 

The national yearly demand for table salt, scathing pop, chlorine, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrochloric corrosive and hydrogen peroxide is over a million tons. A tremendous amount of cash is expended every year to import these synthetic chemicals by companies incorporating tanneries and those in food and drinks, paper and mash, packaging and oil division. There are salt springs at Awe ( Plateau State ), Abakaliki and Uburu ( Ebonyi State ), rock salt is also discovered in Benue State. Around 1.5 million tons of reserves have been shown, and further examinations are presently being done by Government.

• Gemstones 

Gemstones mining has growled in different parts of Plateau, Kaduna and Bauchi states for decades. Some of these gemstones incorporate

a sapphire, ruby, aquamarine, emerald, tourmaline, topaz, garnet, amethyst; zircon, and fluorspar

which are among the world’s standard. Great prospects exist here for reasonable investors. 

• Kaolin 

An expected save of 3 billion tons of good kaolin tic earth has been discovered in numerous areas in Nigeria.

Minerals Resources in Nigeria are vital and non-sustainable materials in the country. They establish imperative crude oil the name and are a significant asset for the country’s economy and development. Management of minerals has, therefore, advised to be firmly incorporated with the general technique of improvement; and the exploitation of these natural resources is to be guided by procedures and national objectives. That’s all about the types of mineral resources in Nigeria.

Related: 

• Importance of Small Scale Businesses in Nigeria
• Nigeria Geographical Zones And Their States – All You Need To Know
• HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IN NIGERIA (PROBLEMS & PROSPECTS)
• South-South States In Nigeria, Their Governors, Capitals And Slogans
• SOLUTIONS TO CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA AND CAUSES

Tags: List Of Types Of Mineral Resources In Nigeria