ABSTRACT
This chapter examines post-colonial mining activities on the Jos Plateau by focusing on two solid minerals, namely, tin (in former Jos Division) and Garnet (in Pankshin Local Government Council Area). It argues that after independence in 1960 tin mining continued to be practiced on a large scale using heavy machinery, which combined with colonial tin mining created huge environmental consequences. From the 1990s, tin mining was done on a small scale based on the use of low indigenous technology when imported heavy machinery could not be used owing to breakdowns resulting from old age and failure to service the machines with new parts or import new machinery. Indigenous technology led to minimal environmental effects on affected areas. It further argues that unlike the colonial period during which tin mining elicited serious reactions including episodes of violence, post-colonial tin mining did not elicit such serious reactions. With respect to garnet mining, the chapter argues that from its inception it was based on low-scale technology and yet created negative environmental effects and elicited reactions including episodic clashes between village land owners and miners. The environmental consequences of small-scale mining in both the tin and garnet areas include destruction to farm lands and public sources of water supply. Thus, whereas individual miners profited, the mined communities suffered various effects from mining operations.
