Overview#
Nasarawa is, in mineralogical terms, the most resource-diverse state in Nigeria outside the Niger Delta — barytes, fluorite, lithium, tantalite, columbite, cassiterite, salt, tin, marble, coal and dimension stone all occur in commercially identifiable quantities across the Middle Benue Trough and the western Jos Plateau extensions. It is also the country's emerging lithium frontier (Nasarawa-Wamba-Keffi pegmatites).
Geology & Deposits#
Barytes. Azara, Awe — the largest barytes deposit in Nigeria; basis of the National Strategic Minerals Initiative barytes pilot. Salt. Keana-Awe-Ribi brine springs — fed the 19th-century Salt Wars of Tiv-Jukun-Hausa traders. Lithium. Nasarawa-Wamba-Keffi pegmatites — spodumene-bearing; the 2023 Avatar New Energy Materials Co. (Chinese) investment for a lithium-processing plant at Nasarawa Eggon is the country's first. Tantalite-columbite-cassiterite (Ta-Nb-Sn). Wamba, Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon — same older granite basement belt as Plateau. Coal. Obi (Mamu formation, sub-bituminous). Fluorite, gypsum, kaolin, limestone, marble. Various. Iron-ore. Toto, Karu.
Operators & Output#
- Avatar New Energy Materials — Nasarawa Eggon lithium-processing plant (foundation laid 2023). - Multiple barytes operators — Azara, organised under the National Barytes Mining Association. - Artisanal Ta-Nb-Sn miners — Wamba/Akwanga (poor safety record).
Host-Community & Revenue#
No oil derivation. Solid-mineral royalties to the federation. Host-community conflicts in Nasarawa Eggon (Eggon-Fulani-Tiv) and along the Tiv-Jukun border in Awe-Doma have repeatedly shut down mining sites since 2013.
Current Status#
Producing: Azara barytes, artisanal Ta-Nb-Sn, Keana salt (artisanal). Frontier (commissioning): Avatar lithium plant, Nasarawa Eggon.
References
Sources#
- Avatar New Energy Materials — Nasarawa lithium project (MoU 2022, plant commissioning 2023–25).
- Nigerian Mining Cadastre.
- Nigerian Geological Survey — Middle Benue Trough Pb-Zn-Ba-F bulletins.