ASSESSMENT OF PRECIOUS MINERALS DEPOSITS AND THEIR SOCIO-ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE IN MARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study assessed precious mineral deposits and their socio-economic significance in Maru Local Government Area (LGA), Zamfara State, Nigeria. Maru LGA (approx. Lat. 12°33'N, Long. 6°40'E) lies within the Maru Schist Belt of the north-western Nigerian Basement Complex, a welldocumented metallogenic province for gold and associated rare-metal pegmatites. Data were obtained through a review of geological maps and literature, field observation, and administration of a structured questionnaire to 100 artisanal miners and mineral traders purposively selected from Maru, Malele, Dansadau, Dan Marke, Ruwan Doruwa and Kadauri. Ninety-nine questionnaires were returned and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results identified economically significant deposits including gold (Au), tantalite [(Fe,Mn)Ta2O6], columbite [(Fe,Mn)Nb2O6], chromite (FeCr2O4), limestone (CaCO3) and granitic aggregates. Gold remains the dominant commodity, with active artisanal exploitation and well-established local market chains extending to Gusau. Socio-economic analysis revealed that 52.5% of respondents are directly engaged in mining and 78% depend on mining-related activities as a primary or major secondary source of income. Reported benefits include employment generation (especially for youth), settlement expansion, growth of ancillary businesses, and increased household income. However, 66.7% reported occupational hazards (pit collapse, venomous animal encounters, inter-group conflicts), while 100% expressed dissatisfaction with current artisanal methods due to low productivity, lack of geological identification tools, absence of standard safety measures, and environmental degradation including land degradation and erosion of farmlands. 84.9% reported no chemical use, while 15.1% reported use of explosives locally called 'nakia' (ammonium nitrate-based). 57.6% use digital scales (grams) for measurement, while 42.4% still rely on non-standard measures. The study highlights the paradox of resource wealth and underdevelopment: despite significant mineral endowment, benefits are constrained by informality, rudimentary technology, absence of institutional support (78.8% reported no government training/assistance), and linkages to insecurity. The paper recommends formalization of artisanal mining, provision of modern exploration and safety equipment, establishment of mineral buying centers with standardized assay, geochemical mapping of the Maru Schist Belt, and enforcement of environmental reclamation policies coupled with miner education programs.