International Research Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Sciences

IRJCCS

Vol. 3(1), pp. 033-036, May, 2016. www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 0278-5125.

Research Article

Risk of toxic metal contamination in gold mining and

processing areas of Borgu and Mashegu local
government areas of Niger state, Nigeria
1*

Nnaji, J. C, 2Omotugba SK

Department of Chemistry, Michael University of Agriculture, Umudike, P. M. B. 7267, Umu ahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria.

The study reviews artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Nigeria and the status of
gold (Au) ore extraction and processing in Borgu and Mashegu Local Government Areas
(LGAs) of Niger State, Nigeria. The processing methods used and the potential
environmental impacts of the practice are analysed. Toxic metals like mercury (Hg) and
lead (Pb) are products of Au mining and processing and pose tremendous health risks for
miners and other people within the vicinity as evidenced by the Pb poisoning saga that
took place in Zamfara State in 2010. Strategies for reducing mercury emissions in ASGM
are also discussed and recommendations are made regarding the detailed study and
reduction of toxic wastes from ASGM in the LGAs.
Keywords: Small-scale, gold mining, Borgu, Mashegu, mercury, lead

INTRODUCTION
Mining is the extraction of mineral deposits from the
surface of the earth or from beneath the surface (Ako et
al., 2014). The mining sector in Nigeria consists of the
formal large scale subsector, the formal small scale
miners and the informal small scale or artisanal small
scale miners (Svotwa and Mtetwa, 1997). The later
involves unskilled small scale, informal and usually
illegal miners who employ rudimentary methods and
processes to extract mineral resources and who most
times, have little or no knowledge of environmental
issues (Phiri, 2012). There are about 10 to 20 million
persons involved in artisanal small-scale gold mining
(ASGM) producing about 12 % of the worlds gold (330
tonnes) annually (UNEP, 2008). The uncontrolled
mining in developing countries like Nigeria has exposed
the environment to serious hazards like the generation
and uncontrolled discharge of enormous amounts of
toxic wastes which impact adversely on the human
health and the ecosystem (Tomov and Kouzmova,
2005). In March 2010, Medecins Sans Frontieres
(MSF) discovered an epidemic of lead poisoning in
Zamfara state, NorthWestern Nigeria particularly in
Anka and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas. This led
to the death of hundreds of people (UNEP/OCHA,
2010). The source of the outbreak was associated with

artisanal Au ore processing that occurs in the mining

communities (Azubike, 2011). The pathways through
which people were affected included drinking water,
food, inhalation of contaminated dust, oral ingestion of
particles especially by children and breast feeding. Pb
is a confirmed toxic metal with no known beneficial
effect on the human body. It damages the liver,
kidneys, brain, central nervous and reproductive
systems of man (Lovei and Levy, 2000). Hg occurs in
the metallic, inorganic and organic forms in the
environment. The most common organic form is methyl
mercury which is produced by microscopic organisms
in the soil and water. Human exposure to abnormal
levels of Hg damages the brain, kidneys and
developing foetus leading to irritability, tremors,
impaired vision, memory problems, lung damage,
nausea, skin rashes etc (UNEP/OCHA, 2010).
*Corresponding author: Jude Chidozie Nnaji,
Department of Chemistry, Michael University of
Agriculture, Umudike, P. M. B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia
State, Nigeria. Tel.: +2348077304555; Email :
dozis03@yahoo.com

Co-author:
2

Omotugba S:+2348031957092, omokay6@yahoo.com

Risk of toxic metal contamination in gold mining and processing areas of Borgu and Mashegu local government areas of Niger state, Nigeria

Nnaji and Omotugba

033

Figure 1. Location of Au occurrences in Nigeria

(Source: Opafunsho, 2015)

Figure 2. Map of Niger State showing Borgu and Mashegu LGAs

Source: Open internet window

This study reviews artisanal small-scale gold mining

(ASGM) and processing in Borgu and Mashegu Local
Government Areas (LGAs) of Niger State and the
environmental/health implications of the practice as it
obtains presently in these areas.
ARTISANAL GOLD MINING IN NIGERIA
There are about 500,000 artisanal small scale miners in
Nigeria and a significant portion of the minerals find
their way to Niamey in Niger Republic, as well as
Cotonou in the Republic of Benin (Daily Trust, 2015).
Figure 1 shows the major areas of Au mineralization in
Nigeria which are associated with the schist belts of
Northwest and Southwest Nigeria.
Over 90% of solid mineral production in Nigeria is done
by artisanal small scale miners, who are frequently
challenged by lack of appropriate mining methods and
limited knowledge of mineral processing techniques
(Idowu et al., 2013). The extraction and processing of
Au ore in ASGM also lead to the generation of mine
wastewater containing heavy metals and at low pH.
These constitute serious environmental hazards
injurious to human health (Azubike, 2011; CDC, 2010).
In a study of abandoned primary and secondary Au
mines in Ilesa, Osun State, (chromium) Cr

concentration of 79.4 mg/kg was found in the soils of

the secondary goldmine indicating Cr toxicity, at both 0
to 15 cm and 15 to 30 cm depths (Ekwue et al., 2012).
Another study to determine the impact of mining
activities on groundwater quality in Dareta village,
Zamfara State, found that mean Mg concentration was
more than twelve times the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water
Quality (NSDWQ) permissible limits while Ni and Cr
concentrations were about three times the limit (Udiba
et al., 2013). The Mineral and Mining Act of 2007 is
supposed to guide mining in Nigeria. The Act
recognizes both large scale/commercial miners and
ASGMs and encourages the later to form mining
cooperatives which will serve as vehicle for government
intervention (e.g. Extension services, financing and EIA
studies) in the sector.
ARTISANAL GOLD MINING IN BORGU
Borgu LGA is located in Niger Sate (Figure 2) and the
Au mines of Borgu are located mostly in the
communities of Koro, Daban Oli and Daban Fura.
Extraction of the Au ore under artisanal mining in Borgu
area is an extremely strenuous and hazardous activity.
Prospective Au mines are usually located based on
intuition and experience (Plates 1 & 2). Mining of Au is

Risk of toxic metal contamination in gold mining and processing areas of Borgu and Mashegu local government areas of Niger state, Nigeria

Int. Res. J. Chem Chem. Sci.

034

Plate 1. A Mine in Daban Oli, Borgu

Plate 2. A Mine in Daban Fura, Borgu

done with little or no attention to safety. Protective

gears of any form are not used and several cases of
fatal Au mine collapse have been recorded. Explosives
are also used by the miners to blast rocks in the
process of reaching the Au ore which exposes the
GOLD ORE PROCESSING IN MASHEGU
Processing of Au ore mined in Borgu is mostly done in
Nassarawa-Kainji, Mashegu LGA of Niger state (Figure
1). It involves activities like grinding, washing, drying,
amalgamation with Hg and melting of the amalgam to
extract the Au. Little attention is paid to human and
environmental impacts of the processes. The grinding,
washing and extraction processes are done with bare
hands and are devoid of any protective gear like eye
goggle, nose guard, hand glove, boot, overcoat etc.
Washing of the ground Au ore is done in ponds dug by
the processors and the wastewater seeps into the
ground which may contaminate groundwater. Mining
and milling operations, together with grinding,
concentrating ores and disposal of tailings are obvious
sources of contamination in the surface environment,
along with mine and mill waste water (Adriano, et al.,
1986). Elevated levels of heavy metals can be found in

miners to environmental hazards. The Au bearing rocks

are broken into smaller pieces at the mines before
being transported to Nassarawa-Kainji for further
processing.
and around mines due to discharge and dispersion of
mine wastes into nearby agricultural soils, food crops
and stream systems (Jung, 2001). This may eventually,
pose a potential health risk to residents in the vicinity of
mining areas.
GOLD ORE PROCESSING
There are two types of Au ores; non refractory and
refractory ores. Non refractory Au ores require a
straightforward recovery with a relatively simple
conventional technology while refractory Au ores are
those that do not allow the Au recovery by gravity
concentration or direct cyanide leaching since Au is
contained within the crystalline structure of sulfide
minerals such as pyrite (FeS2) and arsenopyrite
(FeAsS). They require sophisticated recovery
techniques. The most common methods for processing
Au ore include gravity concentration, cyanidation and
amalgamation (Adebayo et al., 2012).

Risk of toxic metal contamination in gold mining and processing areas of Borgu and Mashegu local government areas of Niger state, Nigeria

Nnaji and Omotugba

035

Gravity Concentration This separates minerals

based on differences in densities. It relies on the
principle that Au contained within an ore has higher
density than the rock matrix. Elemental Au has a
density of 19.3, and a typical ore matrix has a density of
about 2.6. All gravity concentration devices create
movement between the Au and host rock particles in a
manner to separate the heavy pieces from the lighter
pieces of material (John, 1989). The limits of gravity
concentration are mainly determined by the size and
shape of gold particles; Particles of size <30 can
hardly be recovered by gravity and tiny flakes do not
settle as fast as rounded grains (Lehne, 2006).
Cyanidation Globally, cyanide leaching is the most
popular method for recovering Au throughout the world
today. The standard process consists of grinding the
ore to about 80 - 200 mesh, mixing with water and
adding about 2 lbs/ ton of NaCN to the slurry. Enough
CaO is also added to keep the pH of the solution at
about 11.0.
4Au +8NaCN + O2 + 2H2O 4Na[Au(CN)2] + 4NaOH
Au is then recovered from the pregnant solution by Zn
precipitation (Merrill-Crowe process) and the solution is
recycled for reuse in leaching and grinding (Veiga et al.,
2006).
22[Au(CN)2] - + Zn 2Au + [Zn(CN)4]
Amalgamation Hg forms amalgams with all metals
except Fe and Pt. Au combines with Hg forming a wide
range of compounds. The three main amalgams are:
AuHg2, Au2Hg and Au3Hg. The amalgamation process
is based on the low surface tension between Au and
Hg, which allows Au particles to be wetted and
enclosed by the liquid metal forming an amalgam.
In Nassarawa-Kainji, the ground Au ore tailing is
subjected to washing and panning. The heavier Au
laden silt is recovered from the base of the pan and is
combined with mercury to form a hardened amalgam
which picks up most of the gold from the silt. Heating of
the amalgam with blow torches or over an open flame
evaporates Hg leaving Au pieces. Gaseous Hg is
inhaled by the processors and others in the vicinity
while un-inhaled Hg settles into the surrounding
environment or is transported and deposited faraway.
Elemental Hg gives rise to a vapour that is only slightly
soluble in water, but is problematic because of easy
transport in the atmosphere (Boening, 2000). Estimates
of annual global releases of Hg into the environment
from ASGM range from 400 to 1,102 metric tons/year
(Pirrone et al., 2010; Telmer and Veiga, 2009). Microorganisms transform elemental Hg into methyl mercury,
one of the most dangerous neurotoxins which
contaminates the food chain through bioaccumulation.
Amalgamation is regarded as an inefficient process
(UNIDO, 2007).

Detailed study of toxic metal pollution of the

environment in the LGAs

Establishment and enforcement of adequate

environmental quality standards for ASGM.

Remediation of polluted environmental media in

the study areas.

POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

ARTISINAL MINING IN BORGU AND MASHEGU

OF

Inhalation of metal laden dust and risk of

developing diseases

Toxic metal pollution of agricultural soil, surface

and groundwater.

Continuous leaching of toxic chemicals from

waste rock piles after closure of mines

Landscape degradation through the production

pits on the surface

Destruction of habitats

Loss of organic soil for farming, erosion of soil

and sedimentation of surface waters

Deforestation as a result of logging for Au

prospecting

Increase in child labour involving underage

boys and girls. It is estimated that one to two million
children may be involved in ASGM worldwide (UNEP,
2010).
STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING
EMISSION AND CONTAMINATION

TOXIC

METAL

(i) Re-activation and re-use of Hg Used or dirty Hg

recovered after processing is usually discarded since it
does not amalgamate Au as well as new Hg. Dirty Hg
can be reactivated inexpensively in the field using salt
water and a 12-volt battery and in this way dirty Hg can
be used for a long time thereby reducing the amount of
Hg emitted into the environment.
(ii) Using retorts or other mercury vapour capture
systems, which can reduce mercury losses by as much
as 95 percent (UNEP, 2010).
(iii) Use of non-mercury processing methods Au from
certain types of ores can be extracted effectively by
non-mercury methods alone. However, such methods
require special knowledge, equipment and skilled
operators which may be out of the reach of the artisanal
miner.
(iv) Use of protective gears by miners and processors
(v) Awareness creation among miners on the health
and environmental implications of the practice,
protective measures and government policies on
mining. The Emirate councils, Local Government
Councils and Miners Associations have crucial roles to
play in this regard.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Mine wastes generated by the mining industry contain
high concentrations of metals and metalloids which can
contaminate groundwater, surface water and the soil.
Some of these metals are toxic and non-biodegradable.
The following recommendations are pertinent:

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Citation: Nnaji JC, Omotugba SK (2016). Risk of toxic
metal contamination in gold mining and processing
areas of Borgu and Mashegu local government areas of
Niger state, Nigeria. International Research Journal of
Chemistry and Chemical Sciences, 3(1): 033-036.

Copyright: 2016 Nnaji and Omotugba. This is an

open-access article distributed under the terms of the
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Risk of toxic metal contamination in gold mining and processing areas of Borgu and Mashegu local government areas of Niger state, Nigeria