SPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DEGRADATION OF SOIL QUALITY RESULTING FROM MINING OPERATIONS AT ITAKPE IRON ORE, OKENE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The project work is centered on spatial assessment of the degradation of soil quality resulting from mining operations at Itakpe Iron Ore, Okene, Nigeria. A comprehensive survey of the zone affected by extraction operation, stripping and stockpiling of top soil was carried out by mewith the use of a total station. Out of the surveyed area three stores of soil from three different zones - east, west, and central were sampled and tested for soil pH, moisture content of the soil, soil organic matter and soil biological properties. Results showed that the area of the surveyed zone is 7515.11 m2 and the soil tests carried out confirmed that the number of aerobic bacteria in the stores ranged from 0.5 to 9.8x 107CFU g-1 the smallest values being in the deepest parts of the oldest stores as compared to 6.5x105 CFU g-1 and 10x105 CFU g-1 for undisturbed control soil. It was not only established that the number of fungi spores in the deepest part of the oldest soil store was one hundredth of the number in the undisturbed soil biomass values as determined by Adenosine Triphosphate assay with range of 0.38 to 14.4 n mol g-1compared to 5.8 n mol-1 in the undisturbed soil but also established that at the surface, all the stores contain relatively stable moisture content that decreases down the depth and the pH (acidity) tends toward neutrality in the deeper parts of the stores. It is recommended that efforts should be made during reclamation to treat the stripped topsoil with adequate and proper ingredients for effective restoration of degraded land resulting from mining operation