Ministry urges miners to consider erosion control before mining

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has advised mining operators to consider erosion control before commencing mining to avoid disasters.
The ministry gave the sdvice in a report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
The report said the impacts associated with erosion and sediments were numerous, typically producing both short and long term impacts on human, environment and livestock.
It added that in surface waters, elevated concentrations of particular matter in the water column could produce both chronic and acute toxic effect on human and fish.
The report said that erosion could cause significant loading of sediments to nearby water bodies, especially during severe storm events and could be harmful to human and the environment.
It said the types of impacts associated with erosion and sediment loading at mining sites included open pit areas, heap and dump leaches, waste rock and overburden piles among others.
“It is self-evident that a sediment and erosion control plan is a fundamental component of a mine site water management plan,” it said.
The report said that because of the large area of land disturbed by mining operations and the large quantities of earthen materials exposed at sites, erosion could be a major concern at hard rock mining sites. (NAN)