Classwork Exercise and Series (Geography- SS3): Mineral Exploitation In Africa

Mineral exploitation in Africa (petroleum, gold and copper)

Mining of gold

Africa leads whole world in the production of gold. South Africa is the largest producer of gold in Africa, followed by Ghana, Zimbabwe and Zaire. Gold is a valuable metallic mineral.

Methods of Mining Gold

The method of mining gold is the underground or shaft method. In this vertical method, vertical shafts or holes are dug to reach the ore bearing rocks from where holes are drilled. Explosives are used to fill the holes to shatter the rocks by blasting. The broken rocks are then taken to the surface from where they are taken to the concentrator that filters out the gold which is later sent to the smelters for further refining

Transportation and Marketing

In South Africa: Gold is mainly transported to rail and road to processing factory or to Port Elizabeth or East London for export. Major market for gold includes America, Britain and Japan.

Economic importance of Gold

1. The mining of this mineral provides jobs for many people
2. Taxes paid by mining companies including export and import duties on the minerals are sources of revenue to the government
3. Essential goods or products are derived from mineral e.g necklace, wristwatch, medals etc
4. Gold provides raw materials for industries
5. Money earned from gold is used to provide social and basic amenities which improve the standard of living of the people
6. The presence of extraction of this mineral enable people to acquire different skills

Problems of mining gold

1. Poor transport network
2. Environmental pollution
3. Inadequate capital to exploit the minerals
4. Poor management
5. Fluctuation in world prices of minerals

Petroleum or crude oil is an important fuel mineral produced in Libya, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt and Gabon

Methods of mining petroleum

The method used in mining petroleum is the drilling method. In this method, the underground rock are sampled and tested for traces of oil. When the oil is discovered, a well is sunk to reach it with the aid of drilling rig. The oil is the pumped out mechanically or naturally if the pressure within the oil zone in the soil is high

In the soil, three layers within the oil zone exist (i) natural gas is found on top (ii) petroleum or crude oil is in the middle (iii) water at the bottom

Transportation and Marketing

Crude oil is transported mainly by pipelines either to the refineries for refining or processing or t he ports or exports. Major markets include America, Japan, Germany etc

Importance of Petroleum

1. The mining of these minerals provides employment
2. Essential goods or products are derived
3. The export of petroleum serves as foreign exchange for the country
4. Raw materials like petroleum are used in the refinery industries
5. Towns like Port Harcourt and Warri are grown due to the presence of petroleum
6. Essential goods or products are derived e.g petroleum provides kerosene, petrol etc

Problems of mining petroleum

1. Poor transport network
2. Poor management
3. Inadequate capitals to exploit minerals
4. Environmental pollution
5. Outdated topographical methods are used

Copper is another metallic minerals produced by Zambia, South Africa, Zaire and Zimbabwe.

  Methods of mining copper: 

Two methods are used in the mining of copper depending on the depths of mineral

(i)     Open cast method: in this method explosives are used to remove the over size rock.

•    A powerful machine called a dragline is then used to pile the copper washed into heap
•    A monitor is then used to direct a strong jet of water towards the heap
•    The water washes the soil through a series of sluice boxes
•    The copper ore sink to the bottom of the sluice boxes while the water carries the dirt away
•    The copper concentrate now formed, is later sent to the factory for smelting.

(ii)    The underground method: in this method vertical shafts or holes are dug to reach the ore bearing rocks from where holes are drilled. Explosives are used to fill the holes to shatter the rocks by blasting. The broken rocks are taken to the concentration that filters out the copper. The copper is which is later sent to the smelters for further refining.

Transportation and Marketing

Copper is transported by rail to the port of Beira in Mozambique through Zimbabwe because Zambia is a land locked country

Roads are also used for the transport of copper to the port of Dar –es- Salaam in Tanzania for export. Major markets for copper includes European countries like Japan and America.

Importance of Copper

1. Copper is used in electrical equipment because it is good conductor of electricity
2. It can be used in the production of good alloys
3. The export of copper serves as foreign exchange
4. The presence of extraction of copper enables people to acquire different skills
5. It helps in the production of cobalts

Problems of copper mining

1. Inadequate capital to exploit minerals
2. Poor management
3. Fluctuations in world prices of minerals
4. Poor transport
5. Environmental pollution e.g air pollution

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