Environmental and Health Implications of Coal Mining at Maiganga, Gombe State, Nigeria

摘要

Coal occurrence, exploitation, Processing, and utilization have strong impact both on human health and the environment. This results from its composition and environment of occurrence. Maiganga Coal occurs in the Gombe sandstone. Result of the petrography analysis of the study area demonstrates high silica content and the presence of some elements in the mine. Chronic exposure to these materials by human and the environment poses substantial risks. Both the mineworkers and the Maiganga people that live in the area are daily exposed to these materials and the resultant effects. Pneumoconiosis, silicosis, Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), and water pollution are among the health and environmental risks interaction with Coal in the area poses. High ash and moisture contents of the coal samples as indicated by the proximate analysis posit some implications for the environment and health. The findings of this study indicate that two wells drilled to serve the Maiganga community are of poor quality, hence unfit for use because of the interference of the coal deposit in the area. Besides the established environmental and health challenges, there are potential health and environmental risks the Coal mining, use, and post-combustion disposal in the study area poses. These are what this paper underpins.