The Maiganga Coal Mine Drainage and Its Effects on Water Quality, North Eastern Nigeria

A hydrogeological study was carried out in Maiganga and environ, Gombe State. The aim of the research was
to determine the major, trace, and rare earth elements content in effluent discharge from the coal mine and its
effect on groundwater and surface water bodies used for drinking and other uses. Twenty five water samples
from different sources (2-hand dug wells, 1-Formation water, 1-mine pond, 2- boreholes and 20 drainage
channel samples) were collected and analyzed. Analyses of the samples were done at ACME Laboratories
Vancouver, Canada and Geology and Mining Department, University of Jos. The combined ICPAES/ICPMS
were used to analyze the major cations, trace and rare earth elements; Ion Chromatography was used to
detect the anions and bicarbonate by titration method. Analysis of coal shows the following results of trace
and rare earth elements: Cu – 1.4 mg/l, Zr – 0.54 mg/l, Zn – 0.2 mg/ l, Ni – 0.08 mg/l, V – 0.34 mg/l, Rb –
0.05 mg/l, Fe – 0.054 mg/l, while the results of As, Sn, Th, Te W, and the others trace and rare earth elements
are below detectable limits. Low values of these elements in both the groundwater and the stream channel
around Maiganga village shows little or no influences of effluent discharge on these water bodies. The pH
range of 7.3 – 9.2 in the drainage channel indicates that the water is neutral to alkaline; and this was due to
the neutralization effect of calcium carbonate on sulphate from the pyrite mineral in the coal, whose sulfur
and iron content are very low. All values for physical and chemical parameters in the other sources of water
are within the W.H.O maximum permissible limit for drinking and livestock uses.