Contest : Tell about Natural resources of your place🌎🏝️🏞️ || আপনার স্থানের প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদ সম্পর্কে বলুন অথবা জানান🌎🏝️🏞️🏔️⛰️

Introduction

Hello steemians,

I am very honoured to be a partaker of these amazing contest. Am so delighted today to write on the natural resources you can find in my very own country Nigeria. I want to appreciate all those who have made these amazing contest a reality @belenguerra, @bright-obias, @badsha1 and they community @worldgeography.

Natural Resources

Nigeria is among countries in Africa with a wide variety of different natural resources. The country is richly endowed with natural resources ranging from industrial metals to various precious stones such as Barites, Gypsum, Kaolin and Marble. Most of these minerals are yet to be exploited. Statistically, the level of exploitation of these minerals is very low in relation to the extent of deposit found in the country. One of the objectives of the new National Policy on solid minerals is to ensure the orderly development of the mineral resources of the country.

Nigerian States and their Natural Resources

S/N	STATES	NATURAL RESOURCES
1	Abia	Gold, Lead/Zinc, Limestone, Oil/Gas & Salt
2	Abuja	Cassiterite, Clay, Dolomite, Gold, Lead/Zinc, Marble & Tantalite
3	Adamawa	Bentonite, Gypsium, Kaolin & Magnesite
4	Akwa Ibom	Clay, Lead/Zinc, Lignite, Limestone, Oil/Gas, Salt & Uranium
5	Anambra	Clay, Glass-Sand, Gypsium, Iron-ore, Lead/Zinc, Lignite, Limestone, Phosphate & Salt
6	Bauchi	Gold, Cassiterite (tine ore), Columbite, Gypsium, Wolfram, Coal, Limestone, Lignite, Iron-ore & Clay
7	Bayelsa	Glay, Gypsium, Lead/Zinc, Lignite, Limestone, Maganese, Oil/Gas & Uranium
8	Benue	Barite, Clay, Coal, Gemstone, Gypsium, Iron-Ore, Lead/Zinc, Limestone, Marble & Salt
9	Borno	Bentonite, Clay, Diatomite, Gypsium, Hydro-carbon, Kaolin & Limestone
10	Delta	Clay, Glass-sand, Gypsium, Iron-ore, Kaolin, Lignite, Marble & Oil/Gas
11	Ebonyi	Gold, Lead/Zinc & Salt
12	Edo	Bitumen, Clay Dolomite, Phosphate, Glass-sand, Gold, Gypsium,Iron-ore, Lignite, Limestone, Marble & Oil/Gas
13	Ekiti	Feldspar, Granite, Kaolin, Syenite & Tatium
14	Enugu	Coal, Lead/Zinc & Limestone
15	GombeGemstone & Gypsium
16	Imo	Gypsium, Lead/Zinc, Lignite, Limestone, Marcasite, Oil/Gas, Phosphate & Salt
17	Cross River	Barite, Lead/Zinc, Lignite, Limestone, Manganese, Oil/Gas, Salt & Uranium
18	Jigawa	Butyles
19	Kaduna	Amethyst, Aqua Marine, Asbestos, Clay, Flosper, Gemstone, Gold, Graphite, Kaolin, Hyanite, Mica, Rock Crystal, Ruby, Sapphire, Sihnite, Superntinite, Tentalime, Topaz & Tourmaline
20	Kano	Gassiterite, Copper, Gemstone, Glass-sand, Lead/Zinc, Pyrochinre & Tantalite
21	Kastina	Kaolin, Marble & Salt
22	Kebbi	Gold
23	Kogi	Cole, Dolomite, Feldspar, Gypsium, Iron-ore, Kaolin, Marble, Talc & Tantalite
24	Kwara	Cassiterite, Columbite, Feldspar, Gold, Iron-ore, Marble, Mica & Tantalite
25	Lagos	Bitumen, Clay & Glass-sand
26	Nasarawa	Amethyst (Topaz Garnet), Barytex, Barite, Cassirite, Chalcopyrite, Clay, Columbite, Coking Coal, Dolomite/Marble, Feldspar, Galena, Iron-ore, Limstone, Mica, Salt, Sapphire, Talc, Tantalite, Tourmaline Quartz& Zireon
27	Niger	Gold, Lead/Zinc & Talc
28	Ogun	Bitumen, Clay, Feldspar, Gemstone, Kaolin, Limestone & Phosphate
29	Ondo	Bitumen, Clay, Coal, Dimension Stones, Feldspar, Gemstone, Glass-Sand, Granite, Gypsium, Kaolin, Limestone & Oil/Gas
30	Osun	Columbite, Gold, Granite, Talc, Tantalite & Tourmaline
31	Oyo	Aqua Marine, Cassiterite, Clay, Dolomite, Gemstone, Gold, Kaolin, Marble, Silimonite, Talc & Tantalite
32	Pleteau	Barite, Bauxite, Betonite, Bismuth, Cassiterite, Clay, Coal, Emeral, Fluoride, Gemstone, Granite, Iron-ore, Kaolin, Lead/Zinc, Marble, Molybdenite, Phrochlore, Salt, Tantalite/Columbite, Tin & Wolfram
33	Rivers	Clay, Glass-Sand, Lignite, Marble & Oil/Gas
34	Sokoto	Clay, Flakes, Gold, Granite, Gypsium, Kaolin, Laterite, Limestone, Phosphate, Potash, Silica Sand & Salt
35	Taraba	Lead/Zinc
36	Yobe	Soda Ash & Tintomite
37	Zamfara	Coal, Cotton & Gold

Importance of Natural resources in Nigeria

The importance of mineral resources in Nigeria plays a vital role in its development both for the environment and its people.The reason why people should know their mineral resources in Nigeria is to be able to make use of them wisely and preserve them for future generation’s use.

Petroleum or natural gas

Source

This is of great abundance in Nigeria.
Because of this abundance.
Nigerians are blessed with the use of petroleum due to the many revenues that can be taken from it.
Nigeria has one of the best deposits of coal in the entire world.
What makes it the best is its low deposits of sulfur and ash contents, making it useful and eco-friendly than any other crude oil deposits in the world.
As one of the mineral resources, petroleum is dubbed as the country’s
“Black gold” which has the most contribution to the country’s growth in the economy.

Coal

Source

Coal was in discovery in the year 1909 and was explored 7 years after in the Mine of Ogbete.
Nigeria has almost 3 billion tons of coal reserves.
As one of the most common mineral resources, coal is a good source of energy.
Even though Nigeria is not widely using coal as its source of energy because of Diesel.
Nigeria exports it to international countries such as the UK and Italy who take great interest in the coal reserves found in the country.
However, most of these mines are closed for the privatization of the government.

Bitumen

Bitumen hailed its first discovery in 1900, and it was further explored 5 years after.
Nigeria has double the number of reserves in crude oil.
Certainly, it is estimate to have reached 42 billion in tons.
One of the wonderful uses of bitumen is its direct use as an asphalt binder.
Because of this, bitumen is widely used in Nigerian roads and highways.
Even though bitumen has the largest reserves in Nigeria, it is not yet exploit as much.
And most of the bitumen that is used in roads and highways constructions are imported to other countries.
This mineral resource is widely used not just locally, but internationally as well.
Because of this, Nigeria partners with international companies and exports their rich bitumen resource to the world.

Iron Ore

Source

Another rich mineral resource in Nigeria is iron ore.
Nigeria opened its National Iron Ore Mining Company for the exploration and provision of its iron ore to steel companies such as Ajaokuta and Delta.
Nigeria has about 3 million tons of this said mineral resource.
However, it is quite unfortunate that the two steel companies in Ajaokuta and Aladja were not able to be fully functional.
And did not live up to their words of using, preserving, and promoting the natural resources of iron ore in the country.
One of the reasons why there was a discontinuation of their words is the lack of financial support.
Without proper and sufficient finances, they will not be able to be fully functional and would, eventually, lead to failure.

Gypsum

Different cement plantations in Nigeria rely very much on gypsum.
Apart from that, they use this mineral resource as plaster of Paris and chalk in classrooms.
Nigeria has an estimated 1 billion tons of deposits found in the country.
Because of its abundance in gypsum, Nigeria has been exporting its local resource to different international partners.
This paves the way for more
International partnerships are also a great deal in the economic growth of the entire country.

Gold

Of course, we do not need to introduce what gold is.
Local Nigerian miners are exploring gold in almost all parts of the country.
However, it was noted that gold is richer in the northern part of Nigeria.
With gold’s high value, it is understandable as to why many are coming after the most valued mineral resource.
Although there is not a minor scale of gold mining in the country, there is continuing research of the best and largest gold mining in the entire country.
When exploiting the use of gold, most of its products are in jewellery.
Nigeria boasts its amazing abundance in gold as well as its ability to make them into wonderful and eye-catching pieces of jewellery.
These pieces of jewellery then undergo in process for importation and exportation, in the different parts of the country and the world.

Talc

As one of the mineral resources, Nigeria has about 40 million tons of talc.
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council or RMRDC is the only talc plant in Nigeria.
Above all, he said the council has an estimate of 3000 tons of annual extraction in the country.
Although Nigeria has an almost unlimited source of talc, the resource is not much put to good use.
However, with its continuing exploration and discovery, most local and international researchers are digging more into the possible other uses of talc.
A few of the many uses of talc are in ceramics, paintings, paper, cosmetics, and dusting agents.
Talc has varied uses, and this makes it a versatile mineral resource in the country.
It does not only have one focal point in its end-product.

Lead or Zinc

Source

Lead or zinc has an estimated 10 million tons in the different parts of Nigeria.
However, 3 prospected east-central areas are waiting for possible investors.
Having these investors means a lot in the income-generating project for the country.
A few of the uses of lead and zinc are in metals.
Mostly 60% of a lead-product has a composition of lead and zinc combination.
As end-products, alloys, bronze, and silver are few of the end-products of lead or zinc.

Bentonite and Baryte

You can find bentonite and baryte in the drilling and oil wells.
As one of the richest mineral resources in the country, bentonite, and baryte in the mud that are present in the drilling of these wells are rich with bentonite and baryte.
Above a staggering 700 million tons of bentonite and baryte can be found in the rich country of Nigeria.
As a result, a few of the uses of bentonite ad baryte are in the medical and construction industries.
Most construction industries involve the use of the importance of mineral resources in Nigeria.

Gemstones

All over the country, gemstones are important mineral resources in Nigeria.
Not all countries have this abundance.
That is why Nigeria is so blessed to have gemstones.
For instance, a few of the famous gemstones found in Nigeria are ruby, emerald, amethyst, topaz, garnet, sapphire, and aquamarine.
Because of this, a lot of miners have decided to explore the different gemstone minings in the entire country.
Not only are these gemstones favourable in their local economy, but in the international market also proves to have great demand in these gemstones.

Kaolin clay

Kaolin has about 3 billion tons in reserves in the entire country of Nigeria.
This comes in with so many uses.
For instance, It can be used in cosmetics as a skincare remedy.
Most users apply the kaolin clay to reduce oily skin and as a cleansing product.
These are then exported to different parts of the world.
The wide demand for cosmetics all over the world is a contributing factor for most Nigerians to explore more on kaolin clay sources.

Rock salt

Source
Rock salt has a wide list of uses in Nigeria.
Mostly, rock salt is used in chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrochloric, and of course, table salt.
These and many more are the possible uses of rock salt that are used daily.
Nigeria has an estimated 1.5 million tons of rock salt in its reserves all over the country.
Because of the daily demands of rock salt all over the world, Nigerians are extending their efforts in looking for more resources in rock salt in the country.

Limestone

Limestone is one of the bounties, which is emphasized the importance of mineral resources in Nigeria, also known for its many uses.
One of its main use is in construction purposes.
Because of this, it can be turned into cement which is widely used in the construction industry.
Apart from that, limestone can also be the main part of the road and railway repair and construction.
As of now, Nigeria has an estimated 568 million tons of limestone in Nigeria.
This is one of the importance of mineral resources in Nigeria, which is something to be proud of.

All 36 states in Nigeria are blessed with their resources that are used, preserved, and cultivated for further use.

One good citation to give is crude oil which can be found mostly in the southern regions of the country.

Coal and other agricultural-related sources are also found in the north.

Similarly, the importance of mineral resources in Nigeria is just a few of the essential pieces of evidence that all point to how rich the country is.

Nigeria has recorded approximately 22 billion barrels of oil and 150 cubic meters of gas.

With its abundance and proper use, it helps the country and its people to have a better life, an enhanced economy, and a brighter future.

References:-
www.nigerianembassythehague.nl

Thank you for reading...