Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardEnvironmental Hazards and Resource Management in Nigeria

Historical tin and columbite extraction on the Jos Plateau left extensive open-cast pits (paddocks) and toxic spoil heaps, creating severe land degradation and safety risks. Which of the following interventions represents the most effective and ecologically appropriate land management strategy for restoring these degraded mine sites?

  1. Reclaiming the terrain by leveling spoil heaps, backfilling abandoned paddocks, and re-vegetating with fast-growing, drought-resistant tree speciesAnswer
  2. B
    Mandating the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to deploy marine containment booms and bioremediation chemicals across paddock waters
  3. C
    Constructing check dams and geotextile silt fences to control severe gully erosion induced by petroleum dredging in Cretaceous sedimentary basins
  4. D
    Allowing natural attenuation while burning leftover mineral tailings, treating metallic overburden as rapidly renewable organic soil nutrients

Answer

Reclaiming the terrain by leveling spoil heaps, backfilling abandoned paddocks, and re-vegetating with fast-growing, drought-resistant tree species
The correct strategy for restoring degraded tin-mining landscapes on the Jos Plateau combines mechanical earthwork (leveling spoil heaps and backfilling excavated paddocks) with biological stabilization (re-vegetation and afforestation). This resolves structural hazards, reduces ponding, and initiates soil recovery.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the nature of the environmental hazard and its geographic location
The hazard consists of open-cast mining pits (paddocks) and spoil mounds caused by solid mineral extraction (tin and columbite) on the Jos Plateau in North-Central Nigeria.
Understanding the physical characteristics of the degradation determines the appropriate restoration engineering strategy.
2
Evaluate the appropriate physical and biological restoration methods
Open pits require earth-moving operations (leveling mounds and backfilling pits) followed by biological stabilization via tree planting (afforestation).
Mechanical reshaping removes physical hazards and water-logging, while vegetation prevents ongoing soil erosion and restores fertility.
3
Distinguish correct institutional mandates and mineral locations from distractors
Solid mineral degradation falls under land reclamation policies, whereas oil spill agencies (NOSDRA) and petroleum basin hazards belong to the Niger Delta coastal region.
Regulatory frameworks and remediation techniques must align with the specific hazard type and regional geography.

Key Concept

Land Degradation and Reclamation in Nigerian Mining Regions
Estimated Time:2m 0s
Rate this question

Topics

Environmental Hazards and Resource Management in Nigeria

More questions from this topic