Types of Mineral Resources in Nigeria
Oil, gas, gypsum, talc, and bitumen are just a few of the plentiful mineral resources found in Nigeria. Despite the fact that the majority of these minerals have not yet been utilised to their full potential, they offer excellent opportunities for both domestic and international investment in the Nigerian economy. The different forms of mineral resources in Nigeria will be covered in this article. To discover out what they are, keep reading.
TYPES OF MINERAL RESOURCES IN NIGERIA
Below are the various types of mineral resources found in Nigeria.
AQUAMARINE
The mineral gemstone aquamarine naturally exists throughout the nation in places like Oyo and Kaduna states, among others.
AMETHYST
A mineral gemstone known as amethyst is found throughout Nigeria. Amethyst deposits can be found in the states of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Bauchi, and Kano.
BARITE
Benue, Cross River, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Zamfara, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Gombe State all have resources of the non-metallic mineral barite. Although artisanal mining methods are used all over Nigeria, this mineral resource has not been sufficiently investigated and utilised there. Barite is primarily used as a drilling mud agent during drilling operations in the oil and gas industry.
BENTONITE
Many states, including Adamawa, Borno, and Plateau, have an abundance of bentonite. There are 700 million tonnes of bentonite reserves in Nigeria. When drilling all kinds of oil wells, it is frequently used in the oil and gas sector to balance reservoir pressure and prevent blowouts.
BITUMEN
In Nigeria, there are around 42 billion tonnes of bitumen available. In the states of Edo, Lagos, Ogun, and Ondo, there are bitumen deposits. Since the majority of the bitumen required for road construction is imported, exploitation of the large bitumen reserves that do exist is still limited.
CASSITERITE
Abuja, Bauchi, Kano, Kwara, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, and other regions of Nigeria are home to naturally occurring cassiterite.
CLAY
Delta, Edo, Kaduna, Lagos, Nasarawa, Edo, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno,
COAL
Nigeria is home to a sizable coal deposit. Nigerian coal is more environmentally friendly than other types since it contains little sulphur and ash. The states of Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Nasarawa, Ondo, Plateau, and Zamfara are home to the majority of the nation’s coal deposits, which total more than 3 billion tonnes.
DOLOMITE
It is well recognised that dolomite naturally occurs in a number of locations around the nation, including Abuja, Edo, Kogi, and Oyo.
EMERALD
One of the gemstones found naturally in Nigeria is emerald. Deposits are present in the Plateau State and other states across the nation.
FLUORSPAR
One of the many precious minerals that may be discovered in Nigeria is fluorite. Kaduna State is where the gemstone’s deposits are located.
GLASS-SAND
Anambra, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ondo, Rivers, and other regions of Nigeria are home to glass-sand, a mineral resource.
GOLD
Abia, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Edo, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Osun, Sokoto, and Zamfara State all have gold reserves. Most of Nigeria’s gold reserves are alluvial.
GYPSUM
Gypsum reserves of more than a billion tonnes can be found in the states of Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Gombe, Imo, Ondo, and Sokoto. Plaster of Paris (P.O.P), cement, and chalk are all made with gypsum.
IRON-ORE
Over 3 billion metric tonnes of iron ore resources are found in Nigeria, specifically in the states of Enugu, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, and Abuja.
KAOLIN
In the states of Adamawa, Borno, Delta, Ekiti, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto, Nigeria possesses substantial resources of kaolin totaling more than three billion tonnes.
LEAD/ZINC
The Federal Capital Territory and states like Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Kano, Niger, Plateau, and Taraba have significant lead and zinc deposits in Nigeria.
LIGNITE
The states where you can find lignite in Nigeria include Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa,
LIMESTONE
Cross River, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, and Sokoto are among the following: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno,
MANGANESE
Manganese deposits have been found in numerous regions of Nigeria, including the states of Adamawa, Bayelsa, and Cross River.
OIL/GAS
Large oil and gas reserves can be found in Nigeria’s states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers. Nigeria has around 23 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and 160 trillion cubic metres of proven gas reserves.
PHOSPHATE
Natural mineral deposits of phosphorus can be found in Nigeria’s Anambra, Edo, Imo, Ogun, Sokoto, and other regions.
RUBY
Ruby is a priceless stone that has been found in numerous locations around Nigeria.
SALT
Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Sokoto states all contain salt.
SAPPHIRE
Sapphire is a mineral gemstone that can be found throughout the nation, including in the states of Kaduna and Nasarawa.
TALC
Large talc resources can be discovered in the states of Kogi, Ogun, Nasarawa, Niger, Osun, and Oyo.
TANTALITE
Tantalum deposits can be found in the states of Abuja, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Osun, and Oyo. However, Nigeria has not used this natural wealth to its full potential.
TOPAZ
A precious gemstone with established deposit reserves in numerous regions of the nation is topaz. Topaz can be obtained locally in a number of states, including Kaduna, Bauchi, and Plateau.
TOURMALINE
A gemstone called tourmaline can be discovered in Nigeria. Natural tourmaline deposits can be found in the states of Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Osun.
URANIUM
In states like Cross River, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom, uranium reserves have been found. Unfortunately, Nigerian uranium has not yet been used to its full potential.
ZIRCON
Zircon is a priceless gemstone that is known to naturally occur in numerous regions of Nigeria, including the states of Oyo, Plateau, and Kaduna.
Others include: Asbestos, Wolfram, Tentalime, Tin, Soda Ash, Sihnite, Silica Sand, Sillimanite, Syenite, Bauxite, Tatium, Potash, Pyrochlore, Quartz, Marcasite, Mica, Marble, Feldspar, Flakes, Laterite, Granite, Graphite, Hyanite, Hydro-carbon, Galena, Copper, Cotton, Columbite, Bismuth, Butyle, Diatomite, Dimension Stones
