AN APPRAISAL OF MINING ACTIVITIES (BARITE) IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF NASARAWA STATE ECONOMY (A CASE STUDY OF AZARA BARITE MINING INDUSTRY).

This study is concerned with the appraisal of mining activities in transformation and sustainable development of Nasarawa state and Nigeria economy a whole with emphasis on barite mining industry in Azara Development area of Awe local government area of Nasarawa state. The work was necessitated by the low participation of barite solid mineral in mining industries due to inadequate basic infrastructure around the mining industry. The basic objective of this research is to ascertain the importance, value of barite minerals as an input to many manufacturing industries especially the gas and oil industries. These will promote industrialization. The study utilized both primary and secondary data. The method of analysis was Anova. The study observed that non-oil sector has in the past provided the Nigerian economy’s major source of foreign exchange. However, the crude oil in 1970’s overtake the non-oil sector in the provision of foreign exchange. The study emphasized that the development of barite industries should be a way of achieving a viable sustainable development. The study suggested that the government should expand its export portfolio by intensifying efforts on deposit exploration and exploitation of the barite deposit in Azara. The government should also provide the inhabitant of the areas with soft loans aimed at encouraging their orals of barite mining activities in order to uplifting their living standard.