The Environmental Implication of Illegal Minning Activities in Nigeria, a Case Study of Pandogari and Barkin Ladi/Buruku Surface Mines in Niger/Plateau States.

Illegal mining is one of the biggest problems with regard to environmental destruction and
ecological disruptions. When large numbers of gem seekers and gold diggers converge on a locality and begin their environmentally hostile mining activities in an uncontrollable manner, they cause untold destruction to mother earth, which is often accompanied by pollution of the soil and rivers (with mercury and cyanide in the case of gold diggers). Legal measures have proved totally inappropriate as a means of control, because the form of mining involved requires very little equipment that are highly mobile, hence providing them good chances of evading control. Moreover, supervision becomes nearly impossible when large numbers of such people converge on an area and are willing to use force in defense of their interests. Consequently, damage to the physical and biological environment is accompanied by pronounced social tensions between the various interest groups. This paper presents a critical analysis of illegal mining
activities, their environmental effect and remedial measures.
http://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol13-issue5/C01351319.pdf