MNE 515 – Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM)
COURSE PARTICULARS
Course Code: MNE 515
Course Title: Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM)
No. of Units: 2
Course Duration: Two hours of theory per week for 15 weeks.
Status: Elective
Course Email Address: mne515@gmail.com
Course Webpage: Nil
Prerequisite: NIL
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Professor Z. O. Opafunso (fnse,mnim)
Department of Mining Engineering,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Phone: +2348033505007
Email: zopafunso@yahoo.com; zoopafunso@futa.edu.ng
and
Engr. O. C. Alaba
Department of Mining Engineering,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Phone: +2348062077774
Email: alab1m@yahoo.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Artisanal and Small-scale mining (ASM) are important part of Nigerian Mining Sector which has
the potential to raise internal revenue in addition to foreign exchange, create employment and
reduce poverty and encourage foreign direct investment (FDI) if is well managed. ASM in
Nigeria is undeveloped and has been long neglected due to over dependence on oil. Over 90% of
mining activities in Nigeria are ASM of which 75% are carried out illegally. The sector is
unguided and unregulated.The policies in place are inadequate and the miners are untrained. This
makes ASM to adopt poor quality operational techniques that causes environmental disaster and
losses of substantial revenue to the country through exports as well as royalties and taxes. A lot
of topics and sub-topics that will make students self-employed will be covered in this course.
Some of the topics include the principle guiding the operation of ASM, mining and processing
some selected minerals for the benefit of mankind, market opportunities for the minerals,
challenges of ASM in Nigeria and so on
1
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this course are to:
Training students on principle of ASM to provide employment and alleviate poverty in
Nigeria; and
Educate students on best practices methods for ASM.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES / COMPETENCIES
Upon successful completion of this course, student will be able to:
(Knowledge based)
Identify various types of minerals with their locations and uses;
Know the mining and processing technology suitable for a particular mineral; and
Know how to carry out ASM practise with minimal environmental disasters;
(Skills)
Design local machines at affordable cost for processing minerals;
GRADING SYSTEM FOR THE COURSE
This course will be graded as follows:
Class Attendance 10%
Assignments 10%
Test(s) 20%
Final Examination 60%
TOTAL 100%
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Attendance: It is expected that every student will be in class for lectures. Attendance records
will be kept and used to determine each person’s qualification to sit for the final examination. In
case of illness or other unavoidable cause of absence, the student must communicate as soon as
possible with any of the instructors, indicating the reason for the absence.
Academic Integrity: Violations of academic integrity, including dishonesty in assignments,
examinations, or other academic performances are prohibited. You are not allowed to make
copies of another person’s work and submit it as your own; that is plagiarism. All cases of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the University Management for appropriate sanctions in
accordance with the guidelines for handling students’ misconduct as spelt out in the Students’
Handbook.
2
Assignments and Group Work: Students are expected to submit assignments as scheduled.
Failure to submit an assignment as at when due will earn you zero for that assignment. Only
under extenuating circumstances, for which a student has notified any of the instructors in
advance, will late submission of assignments be permitted.
Code of Conduct in Lecture Rooms: Students should turn off their cell phones during lectures.
Students are prohibited from engaging in other activities (such as texting, watching videos, etc.)
during lectures.
READING LIST
4
Kevin Telmer, (2011) Assessment of the Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining in Anka
and Bukkuyum LGAs, Zamfara State, Nigeria, Artisanal Gold Council.
4
Dooyema CA, Neri A, Lo YC, Durant J, Dargan PI, Swarthout T, et al. 2012. Outbreak of
fatal childhood lead poisoning related to artisanal gold mining in northwestern Nigeria, 2010.
Environ Health Perspect 120:601–607
1
Hentschel, T., Hurshka, F. and Priester, M. (2002). Global Report on Artisanal and Small -
Scale Mining. Nigeria.
4
Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, MSMD (2002). Nigerian Mineral and Mining Act:
In Strategies and Blueprint for Substainable Development of Artisanal and Small -Scale
Mining in Nigeria. MSDM, Abuja
3
Nigeria Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. (2010). Gold Deposits: Exploration
Opportunities in Nigeria. Available: http://www.mmsd.gov.ng/downloads/Gold.pdf
3
Lawal, M.A. (2002). Constraints to Small-Scale Mining in Nigeria: Available at
www.dundee.ac.uk/cepmlp/car/assets/images/Nike.pdf.
3
Hinton, J.J. (2005). Communities and Small-Scale Mining: An Integrated Review for
Development and Planning. Available at http//www.casmsite.org.
1
Odumo, O.B, Mustapha, A.O, Patel, J.P, Angeyo, H.K. (2010). Multielemental analysis of
Migori (Southwest, Kenya) artisanal gold mine ores and sediments by EDX-ray fluorescence
technique: implications of occupational exposure and environmental impact. Bull Environ
Contam Toxicol 86(5):484–489.
4
Owusu-Koranteng, H. (2004). Environment, Water and Health Impacts on Women due to
Mining. Third International Women and Mining Conference in Indian.
3
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 1997. Marketing Research and Information System.
[Online] Available at: http:// www.fao.org.
1
Dreschler, B. (2001). Small Scale Mining and Sustainable Development within the SADC Region:
Mining Minerals and Sustainable Development. No. 84. England: SANTREN/ ITDG.
3
3
Sola Ogundipe (2010) lead poisoning kills over 200 people in Nigeria’s Northern Zamfara state,
Pathfinder http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/07/1...-brain-damage.
Legend
1- Available in the University Library
2- Available in Departmental/School Libraries
3- Available on the Internet.
4- Available as Personal Collection
5- Available in local bookshops.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week Topic Remarks
1 Introduction to Artisanal and Small-scale Mining: Students will be introduced to the
Historical background of artisanal and course and their expectation from
small-scale mining in Nigeria; the course will also be documented.
Difference between large and medium
scale mining and ASM; and
Definition and characteristics of ASM
Minerals mined by small-scale miners ASM
2&3 Metallic minerals;
Precious metals & stones minerals; Students will be asked to select a
mineral and draw the flow sheet
Industrial minerals; and
from mining to processing stages
Carbonaceous minerals
Mining Techniques
Shallow alluvial mining (Panning and
washing) techniques;
Deep alluvial mining techniques; and
Hard rock (lode) mining techniques
Processing Techniques:
Panning;
Sluicing; and
Dredging
Financing of ASM:
4&5 Individuals; Students will be asked to write a
Banks; proposal on how to seek financial
NGO’s and stakeholders; assistant in financing ASM of their
Cooperative society; and mineral choice.
Government
6&7 Impact of ASM: Students will be asked to justify
Environmental impacts; whether ASM in Nigeria is a source
Social impacts; and of lives or death to the operators.
Health impacts Issue of Zamfara lead poison will be
discussed.
4
8 Occupational health and safety hazards in ASM Students will be asked to itemized
Operations. different forms of occupational
Forms of occupational illness; and illness in ASM and methods for
Control of occupational illness; controlling them
MID-SEMESTER TEST
9 & 10 Problems of ASM
Political problems; Students will be divided into groups
Economic problems and asked to discuss challenges and
Benefits of ASM benefits of ASM during the class.
Employment creation and poverty
reduction
Local and sustainable development
Challenges faced by ASM
Lack of access to finance and other
operational concerns
Inadequate of equipment and machinery
Absence of market and buyers
Land issues
Health and safety risks/hazards
11 & 12 Women and Children in ASM Women and children statistics in
Employment and other mining-related ASM will be estimated with merits
economic activity of women and demerits derive from ASM
Women, Relocation, Resettlement and
Compensation Policies
Challenges faced by Women in ASM
Lack of technical management skills
Lack of access to credit facilities
Bias and stigmatization
Lack of exposure to appropriate technology
Lack of exposure to market
13 & 14 Government Regulation of ASM operations in: Students will be allowed to compare
Nigeria the government regulations in these
Ghana countries and finger out the area of
South Africa weakness and how to strengthening
the regulations
15 Revision This is the week preceding the final
examination. At this time, evaluation
will be done to assess how far the
students’ expectations for the course
have been met.
