List of Natural Mineral Resources Found in Delta State

Delta State is one of the richest oil-producing states in Nigeria. It is not just rich in oil, it is also rich in other natural resources. Delta state has a rich reserve for mineral, Agricultural and human resources. In the course of this article, we would be looking at a complete list of all the mineral resources that can be found in Delta state.

FULL LIST OF MINERAL RESOURCES FOUND IN DELTA STATE

Delta state is located in the southern region of the country and this state is endowed with lots of mineral resources. Delta has one of the largest reserve for oil and gas explorations. In addition to oil and Natural Gas, let us look at a list of mineral resources that can be located in Delta state.

• Crude Oil
• Natural gas
• Kaolin
• Graphite
• Marble
• Clay
• Brines
• Ilmenite
• Gravel
• Limestone
• Lignite
• Silica sand
• Bitumen
• Carbon Black Polypropylene

The structural basin of Delta state is the major factor that contributes to why there is a lot of crude oil in the state. With the exception of the North-eastern part of Delta state, they have a lot of crude oil and natural gas. Did you know that Delta state produces 35 % of all the Oil production in Nigeria? They have an estimated crude oil and natural gas reserve of about 900 million cubic meters.

Other mineral resources in the list above, also serve for commercial purposes in the state. An example is a silica: there are very large deposits of silica in the beds of streams and rivers found in the state. Silica is a very important mineral that is used in glass production.  In subsequent paragraphs, we would go further to envisage other resources other than mineral resources that can be found in the state.

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS FOUND IN DELTA STATE

Delta state has also been doing well in the agricultural sector. There are a lot of agricultural products that can be found in Delta state that serves the state commercially as an export commodity. In Delta state, there are two prominent forms of agriculture, namely; Industrial crop production and food crop production. Industrial crops in the state include palm oil, palm kernel, rubber etc. while most of the food crops include mangoes, banana, tomatoes, pepper etc.

Looking at the forest resources that can be found in the state, they boast of the likes of over 500 species of timber. An estimate e of the total forest reserve in the state is 74,910 hectares distributed throughout different locations of the state. Fish farming is another branch of agriculture that Delta state reaps commercial benefits from. This is due to the fact that the southwest and southeastern parts of delta state are predominantly riverine.

The major occupational indulgence of inhabitants of those areas is fishing. The coastal fisheries of Delta state have a lot of aquatic life such as clams, periwinkles, shrimps, fish etc. The various aquatic life found in the state, contribute commercially as export commodities in the state.

Let us now look at a list of agricultural resources that can be found in Delta state

• Periwinkle
• Clams
• Shrimps
• Fish
• Yam
• Mangoes
• Tomatoes
• Rice
• Plaintain
• Banana
• Palm oil
• Maize
• Cassava
• Timber
• Rubber
• Palm kernel
• Beans

ETHNIC COMPOSITION & CULTURE

In Delta, state, there are five major ethnic groups. They are mainly Isoko, itsekiri, Izon, Igbo and Urhobo. A lot of speculators claim that all five ethnic groups in the state have common ancestry; consequently, these cultures are very similar. These similarities in culture are well made manifest in the mode of worship, dance, festivals, crafts and arts.

Of all the religious practices shared amongst these five ethnic groups, Christianity has the largest followership. Four ethnic groups in share common dressing patterns. Their mode of dressing is eminent with a wrapper on a shirt like attire with a bowler hat and a touch of coral beads or a gold chain around the neck plus a complimentary walking stick.’

Majority of the crafts and arts in the state can be traced back to the British precolonial era. Some of the arts that are popular in Delta state include Handwoven cloths, table mats, flower pots, carvings, ashtrays etc. As for the crafts that are popular in the state, we have the likes of; Basket weaving, blacksmithing, pottery etc.

ECONOMY

Delta state enjoys a lot of attractive and healthy economic climate. They have a very large growing number of banks that are ready to support private and public sector initiatives in the state. As for the large revenue accrued from oil exploration, It is evenly redistributed to other sectors in the state. This is why Delta state is one of the most developed states in southern Nigeria. The state also draws up profit from its minerals and agricultural resources which makes up its IGR.