Iron ore is an important natural mineral deposit from which iron is gotten. Iron is a necessary constituent in the production of steel which has important use globally in civil construction, vehicle manufacturing, and other industrial production. Nigeria is one of the producers of iron in the world.
It is estimated that there are up to 3 billion tons of iron ore in several iron ore-producing states in Nigeria. In this article, our major discussion will be on the state in which iron ore is found in Nigeria.
Iron Ore is Found in Which State in Nigeria?
The purest deposits of iron ore are found in and around Itakpe in Kogi State, Nigeria. Also, Kogi State has more iron ore deposits than all the other iron ore-producing states in Nigeria.
Nigeria is among the African countries with the largest iron ore deposits which are located in some states in the country. Some of the states where iron ore deposits are found include Kogi, Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Kwara, Niger Plateau, and Nasarawa. Out of all the iron-ore producing states in Nigeria, Kogi State remains the major part where this mineral deposit is largely deposited.
Nicknamed the “Confluence State”, Kogi State is the thirteenth largest state in Nigeria. It is located in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordering the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Niger State to the north and Anambra to the south. Kogi State has quite a number of natural mineral deposits with the chief among them being iron ore.
Various quantities of iron ores are mined in different parts of Kogi State. Lokoja, which is the state capital of Kogi State, portrays a clear picture of the presence of iron ores in Nigeria in the sense that this area hosts the ores both in sediments and in basement rocks. But Itakpe is said to have the largest and purest reserve of iron ore in Kogi State.
The Federal Government in 1979, having noticed the abundance of iron ore in Kogi State, established the Ajaokuta Steel Company to harness these iron ores to produce steel needed by different industries. However, this company didn’t function effectively as planned and was later abandoned.
Which state in Nigeria has the highest gold deposit?
The state with the highest gold deposit in Nigeria is Zamfara State. In addition to these gold deposits, Zamfara State also has eight other minerals which are available in commercial quantities.
Which state is silver found in Nigeria?
There are only few African countries that has silver deposits and Nigeria is one of them. Unlike other minerals and metals, silver is not vastly deposited in Nigeria. With that said, only two states in the northern part of Nigeria, namely Kano and Taraba State have silver deposits.
Where is zinc found in Nigeria?
Nigeria is one of the West African countries where Zinc deposits are found. The Nigerian states with rich zinc deposits, in no particular order, are Cross Rivers, Kano, Ebonyi, Plateau, Zamfara, Anambra, Abuja (FCT), Enugu, Imo, Niger, and Taraba. Zinc stands as the fourth most widely used metal after iron, aluminum, and copper.
Where is Aluminum found in Nigeria?
Bauxite is a naturally occurring mineral from which aluminum is extracted. Only in four states in Nigeria are bauxite deposits majorly found and these states are Plateau, Ondo, Ekiti, and Adamawa states.
Where is tin ore found in Nigeria?
In Nigeria, major tin occurrences are found and produced by the natives of Plateau State, Bauchi State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Minor deposits of tin – though occurring as mineralized pegmatites – are found in the Obudu and Oban massifs located in southeastern Nigeria.
Conclusion
Iron ore is an important mineral from which iron is extracted. Iron is a necessary constituent of steel which is used in construction and for many industrial purposes. Nigeria has about ten states with iron ore deposits but Kogi State has the largest deposit of iron ore in the country. Itakpe in Kogi State is said to have the largest and purest reserve of iron ore in Nigeria.