Effects of coal mining on the water resources in the communities hosting the Iva Valley and Okpara Coal Mines in Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Coal mining in the Enugu area of Nigeria has generated a lot of mine waste that has been dumped in landfills and surface dumps chosen for convenience and proximity to the waste source rather than environmental, geologic or engineering considerations. Environmental degradation and groundwater contamination has resulted. Structural analysis of the area shows that the geological formations are fractured with a dominant fracture strike in the E–W direction. These fractures, which are known to influence the flow direction of the rivers in the area, provide significant seepage pathways for contaminant transport. An azimuthal square array resistivity survey confirmed the presence of these fractures in the sub surface as well as their function as seepage pathways. Surface water resources and groundwater exploited from a shallow well has been shown to be contaminated with acidity, iron, and sulphate. The water must, therefore, be treated before con sumption by the local inhabitants.