JOURNAL OF DEGRADED AND MINING LANDS MANAGEMENT ISSN: 2339-076X (p); 2502-2458 (e), Volume 5, Number 2 (January 2018) : 1055-1063 DOI:10.15243/jdmlm.2018.052.1055 www.jdmlm.ub.ac.id 1055 Research Article Analyzing the environmental impacts and potential health challenges resulting from artisanal gold mining in Shango area of Minna, North- Central, Nigeria Adegbe Mamodu 1* , Ile Theophilus Ojonimi 2 , Simon Samchi Apollos 3 , Orji- Chukwu N. Jacinta 4 , Waziri H. Salome 5 , Abubakar Abduljalilu Enesi 6 1 Department of Geology, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria 2 Department of Mining Engineering, University of Jos, Nigeria 3 Department of Mining Engineering, University of Jos, Nigeria 4 Department of Geology, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria 5 Department of Geology, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria 6 Department of Geology, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria *correspondent author: adegbemamodu@futminna.edu.ng Received 11 November 2017, Accepted 02 December 2017 Abstract:The environmental impact and potential health challenges resulting from artisanal mining in Shango area of Minna, North Central Nigeria was put into perspective. The methodology adopted for the research includes field work and laboratory analysis. Results of field observation reveal that mining activity resulted in physical environmental impact such as land degradation, destruction of vegetation, erosion of soils and degrading water quality. Results from the laboratory analyses show that soils are contaminated with elements such as Cu (27.7 ppm), Cd (0.6 ppm), Hg (0.62 ppm) and Ag (0.35 ppm) and generally show high status when compared to published standard for upper continental crust. While, Zn (14.8 ppm), Ni (7.17 ppm), Mn (207 ppm), Pb (0.58 ppm), As (0.4 ppm), Co (0.55 ppm), Mo (0.16 ppm), and Zr (129.8 ppm) are rated low in line with the published standard; other determined elements such as Cr (37.8 ppm), Fe (31.1ppm) and Au (0.2 ppm) are high. These elements can easily be absorbed by plants and subsequently accumulate in their tissues. When such plants are eventually eaten by man, it may lead to different health problems such as slow growth rate, liver and kidney problem. High concentration of these elements in plant tissues may causes different problems. Keywords: artisanal, environmental, mining, Shango, trace elements To cite this article: Mamodu, A., Ojonimi, I.T., Apollos, S.S., Jacinta, O.N., Salome, W.H. and Enesi, A.A. 2018. Analyzing the environmental impacts and potential health challenges resulting from artisanal gold mining in Shango area of Minna, North-Central, Nigeria. J. Degrade. Min. Land Manage. 5(2): 1055-1063, DOI: 10.15243/jdmlm.2018.052.1055. Introduction Mining can be described as the processes involved in the extraction of mineral deposits from the surface of the earth or from beneath the surface. The exploitation of natural resources of any type, be it metallic, non-metallic minerals and fossil fuels (petroleum, coal and natural gas) play pertinent role in the economic development of any nation (Ako et al., 2014). These includes; the potential rise in the level of foreign exchange earnings and gross domestic products of such countries, mining activities may ultimately lead to the diversification of countries economy and promotion of job creation in both private and GALLEY PROOF-JDMLM