Analyzing the Impact of Artisanal Gold Mining on Soil Around Chanchaga North Central Nigeria
Chapter One
Aim and Objectives of the Study
Aim
The aim of this study is to assess the impact of Artisanal Gold Mining in Chanchaga North Central.
Objectives of the study
The objectives of this study are to:
- Identify the Artisanal Gold Mining sites in the study area
- Evaluate the existing Artisanal Gold Mining practice in the study area
- Examine the relationship between crime rate before and after Artisanal Gold Mining activities in the study area
- Assess the effects of Artisanal Gold Mining on the physical and social environment of the community
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
Growth pole theory
Francois Perroux in the 1950s authored this theory. He built the theory on the basis of economic growth in different regions, his argument was that development or growth is not uniform in different places bus has different degrees of intensity in different points or poles, and they move via different means and its final outcome for the state of economy is different in different regions (Komarovskiy and Bondaruk, 2013). Komarovskiy and Bondaruk (2013) sees growth pole theory as a business entity (company or Industry) or a set of different units and these units are the forces that drives economic development, and the input-output linkages are responsible for these growth.
However in relation with the theory of growth poles, there has been cases of economic growth which happens in the region without growth pole, which translate that the presence of growth is not essential to economic growth (Gavrilă et al., 2017). Development of regions that depends on growth pole strategy in developing countries came to light in the 1960s especially in the Latin American regions (Speakman & Koivisto, 2013). After the failed application of the growth pole theory the concept dwindled by the 1970s (Gavrilă et al., 2017).
Relevance of growth pole theory to this study
The argument of Francois Perroux (1903–1987) which states that development is not the same in various places but the development has different levels of severity at different poles or point, and the spread through various channels and its end outcome for the condition of the economy is different in different places cannot be over emphasized, because regional development is uneven in Nigeria and other developing countries of Africa, Chanchaga North Central is lagging behind in terms of infrastructural facilities and the available ones are deteriorating as a result of environmental degradation caused by the Artisanal gold miners (Farrington, 2000). The theory attempt to explain why some regions do not develop at the same rate with other regions.
Concept of the Environment
The environment consist of many variables, which surrounds man as well as other organism (Celikyay and Uzun, 2007). The environment also includes water, air and land and the interrelationships which exist among and between water, air and land and human beings and other living creatures such as plants, animals and microorganisms (Patten, 1997). The natural environment consists of four interlinking systems, namely; the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere and the biosphere. These systems are always in constant change and such changes are affected by human activities and vice versa (Celikyay and Uzun, 2007).
Environmental degradation
Environmental degradation can be traced back to human civilization, little attention has been given to the environment until 1972 United Nations Conference on the environment that held in Stockholm (Thakur, 2010). Environmental degradation can be described in various ways, as given below by different authors: Environmental degradation is the reduction in quality and value of the natural environment through human interactions with the environment and natural disasters. Agyemang (2013) sees environmental degradation as a condition which reduces the value of the natural environment to meet with the ecological and socio-economic needs. Any change to the physical and natural Environment that reduces the air, water, and soil quality or affects the ecosystem in a way that it reduces its value is seen as environmental degradation (Choudhary, 2015).
The scope of environmental degradation covers issues such as land degradation, loss of forest, desertification, biodiversity threatened, pollution, climatic change, rise of sea level and others (Agyemang, 2013). On this note, environmental degradation can be seen as a hub which covers different issues including global warming, deforestation and desertification, population biodiversity loss, animal extinction.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter explains the modalities that the researcher put in place to carry out this study, which are the various methods and techniques that the researcher would input in the course of this research work to acquire the required data needed for this study. This chapter has therefore been designed to clarify and reduce to the barest minimum any form of ambiguity in the use of methods during the course of this research work.
Research Population
The population of the study area was identified, from which the sample population was derived, using the Taro Yamani formula. According to the Authors’ fieldwork, 2023, Chanchaga North Central has the population of 610, with 240 males and 370 females, respectively.
Sampling Size
The projected population of the study area is calculated as:
Chapter Four
Results and Discussion
This Figure shows where the Artisanal Gold Mining sites are located within the study area. The Mining sites were formally used for crop production before the emergence of the Artisanal Gold Miners who excavates the land in search of Gold.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
The activities of Artisanal Gold miners in Chanchaga North Central rural community have negatively affected the environment in many ways and also neglected environmental laws and auditing, for example; lack of land reclamation after excavations in search for Gold, Deforestation, Biodiversity Threatened, Loss of farmland and Economic trees, Pollution of the environment, Noise, Decrease in water quality, increase in crime rate to mention but few. These environmental challenges have affected the physical and social development of Chanchaga North Central and it has portrayed the augment that the Artisanal Gold Mining in the community has affected the rural development, sustainability and the livelihood of the dwellers.
Recommendations
- Other sources of Rural Livelihood such as; Farming, Fishing, Hunting should be encouraged so as to discourage people from engaging in illegal
- The Government should proscribe Artisanal Gold Mining as illegal activity and lay down strict penalty for its practice.
- The residents should report to the relevant authorities any suspicious act by the miners to avoid breakdown of law and order.
- There should be awareness to the residents and the miners on the hazard of exposure to mercury and other toxic substances generated from Artisanal Gold Mining
- Where Artisanal Gold Mining can’t be banned completely, the practice should be environmentally
- The residents of the community should treat the water from the wells borehole or look for alternative source of water
- Reclamation of degraded lands should be enforced on the Artisanal Gold
- The Artisanal Gold Miners should engage in Mining techniques that are environmentally friendly and safe to human health.
REFERENCES
- Abdullateef, R., Yinusa, M. A., Sulaiman, M. M. D., Abdul-Rasheed, L., & Adeyemi, R. A. (2017). The Real Home of the Nigerian Economy. International Journal of Social Sciences and Educational Studies, 4(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.23918/
- Abdulwahab, S., & Marikar, F. (2012). The environmental impact of gold mines: Pollution by heavy metals. Euro Journal of Engineering, 2(2), 304-313 https://doi.org/10.2478/s13531-011-0052-3
- Abubakar, D. S. D. (2017). An Assessment of Gully Erosion in Selected Areas of Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Environmental Technology and Science Journal. 22(8), 45-49.
- Agada, B., Obi, M., & Ali, A. (2016). Rainfall Characteristics at Makurdi, North–Central Nigeria. An International Journal of Science and Technology, 5(1), 40-46. https://doi.org/10.4314/
- Agyemang, I. (2013). Environmental degradation and assessment: A survey of the literature.
- African Educational Research Journal 2 (1), 12-19.
- Ahmed, A. (2018). Smart Artisanal Gold Mining from a Sudanese Perspective. Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, 8(5),6700_6705.https://doi.org/10.2671 7/.08.00170
- Ako T., A., Onoduku U., S., Oke S., A., Adamu I., A., Ali S., E., Mamodu, A., & Ibrahim A., T. (2014). Environmental Impact of Artisanal Gold Mining in Luku, Minna, Niger State, North Central Nigeria. Journal of Geosciences and Geomatics, 2(1), 28–37. https://doi.org/10.12691/jgg-2-1-5
- Alabi, A. (2012). Geology and Environmental Impact Assessment and Benefit of Granitic Rocks of Minna Area, Northwestern Nigeria. Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management, 4(4), 39-45. https://doi.org/10.4314
- Alderman,H., Cord,L., Chaudhury,N., Cornelius,C., & Minh Quang Dao. (2004). Rural poverty in developing countries. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Journal of Economic Studies 3(6), 500-508.
