List of Natural Mineral Resources Found in Bauchi State

Bauchi is among northern states where you can find mineral resources and agro raw materials. Blessed with land mass of 49,119 km², its no surprise to find abundant natural resources in Bauchi state.

Having a population of about 5 million people, Bauchi state was formed in 1976 and it has 20 Local Government areas where all these minerals are evenly distributed.

The state is share boundaries with seven states due to its large size and they are; Kano and Jigawa to the north, Taraba and Plateau to the south, Gombe and Yobe to the east and Kaduna to the west.

There are two vegetation zones in Bauchi state – the Sudan Savannah vegetation which occupies the southern part of the state and the Sahel Savannah which is a semi-desert vegetation that is comprised of isolated stands of thorny shrubs and is kind of sandy.

Bauchi state is also an agricultural state, having fertile soil where agricultural products such as maize, millet, rice, groundnut and guinea corn easily grow. The type of farming practiced within the state is Irrigation fanning which utilizes the popular Balanga dam, etc. Animals such as cattle, rams, goats and other livestock are also reared within the state.

The predominant tribes found in Bauchi state include Hausa, Fulani, Jarawa, Tangale, Waja, Balewa, Sayawa and Tarewa respectively.

Local Government Areas

Below are the 20 local government areas where natural resources are found within the state:

Bauchi, Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro, Katagum, Alkaleri, Dambam, Giade, Ganjuwa, Darazo, Dass, Ningi, Shira, Gamawa, Itas/Gadau, Jam’are, Kirfi, Toro, Warji, Zaki, Misau.

Mineral Resources Found in Bauchi State

There are several mineral deposits within Bauchi state and they are: Cassiterite, Gold, Columbite, Wolfram, Gypsum, Coal, Linite, Limestone and Iron ore.

#1. Cassiterite

Cassiterite is a mineral that can be found in Gamau and Maijuju in commercial quantities. Also known as Tin ore, it is used for construction purposes.

#2. Gold

This is another mineral found in the state that has not been fully utilized by the state government. Gold is a precious metal that can be used for jewelry making and is normally sold at an expensive price.

#3. Columbite

Columbite is normally used as an ore in metals by industries. It can also be used to create heat sensitive detective devices and other valves used in radio transmission.

#4. Gypsum

Gypsum is also mined in the state and can be used for the following – manufacturing of cement, wallboard, plaster of Paris, etc. There are different types of gypsum known as “satin spar” and “alabaster” which are used for ornamental purposes.

#5. Coal

Coal is a solid fossil fuel formed from peat, usually a hard rock which mostly contains carbon, hydrogen, sulphur, oxygen and nitrogen. Although, the Bauchi state government has used this natural mineral resources effectively but coal can be found in commercial quantities in Enugu state.

Agricultural Resources

As earlier stated, Bauchi state is an agricultural state with lots of crops which can be exported for investment and development. Animal rearing is also feasible as animals ranging from cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs and poultry birds are also reared in this state.

List of agricultural products found in Bauchi state include:

• Rice
• Groundnut
• Maize
• Millet
• Beans
• Guinea corn

Bauchi State accounted for 1.25 million cattle out 4.73 million cattle which is Nigeria’s estimated cattle, 2.1 million sheep, about 20,000 donkeys and 67,000 pigs and still counting. With these, we can say that the agricultural sector in the state is really booming and a major source of income for the state.

Toursim

There is also the popular Yankari game reserve which is the most developed wildlife park in Nigeria located in Bauchi state and attracts a lot of visitors. Known for its wide variety of wild animals, it large area gives room for these animals to thrive and develop .This is an added advantage to the tourism sector in the state.

Conclusion

While the Bauchi state government has tried in the agricultural sector, more needs to be done as most of the mineral resources which are existent in the state are yet to be mined. For example, quarrying of granite and other rocks for road and other construction is feasible in the state but hasn’t been utilized properly.

Clay deposits and silica sands which can be found in various LGAs has not been mined. There has even been reports that samples of precious stones from Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Toro LGAs have yet to be mined out by the state government. All these should be harnessed for investment purposes so as to bring more development to the state.