Assessment of Underground Water Contamination Due to Early Coal Mining Activities in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the level of mining activities impairment on underground water quality. Five samples were obtained three (3) from bore hole waste, one from open well and one from nearby stream. The samples obtained were analyzed based on Physical, Biological and Chemical Parameters. The result shows most of high concentration of chemical elements impairing on water quality as a result of mining activities such as Nitrate, Chloride, Phosphate, Cyanide, Fluoride, Iron, Manganese etc. Additionally the bacteriological analysis of these water samples revealed the concentration off e coli bacteria in the most boreholes, well, and the stream. The paper concluded that even though borehole were provided to augment the water supply for communities consumption but consideration was not given to streams where waste water from the mining site are normally drained into because it is use by plant and animals. There is therefore the need to treat the water before discharge into the stream.

Keywords: Contamination, Mining, Parameters, Samples, Underground water,