Mineral resources in Ekiti State can be found in Ikole, Ikere, Ado, Ise-Ekiti, Aramoko, Ijero, and Ajegunle among others. Its abundant resources led the state to create the Office of Solid Mineral Resources to fully explore large deposits of various resources spread across towns and villages of the state.
Table of Contents
Where can the mineral resources in Ekiti state be found?
Here is a list of the resources and where they are found:
Clay:
Clay can be found in every part of the state, however, the commercial quantity is concentrated in Ayegunle, Ara-Ijero, Ire Ekiti, Igbara Odo, Ilemeso, Ikogosi, Itaji-Itapaji, and Isan.
Kaolin:
Kaolin is found in Isan-Ekiti.
Columbite:
Osun/Ikole, Ijero, Ilukuno, Idao, Itawure, Aramoko, and Ilawe district.
Quartzite:
There is a large deposit of quartzite in Iroko, Epe, Ayegunle in part of Ijero; it can also be found in Efon Alaaye.
Granite:
It can be found in every part of Ekiti
Charnockite:
In every part of the state.
Gneisses:
it is present across the state
Note: granite, Gneisses, and Charnockite fall under the dimension stones category. They are found in commercial quantities in the state capital (Ado), Iyin, Igbemo, Ikere, and Ikole.
Tantalite:
Osun/Ikole, Ijero, Ilukuno, Idao, Itawure, Ilawe, and Aramoko area.
Feldspar:
This highly economic mineral resource which is useful in making sheet and hollow glasses can be found in Aramoko, Ijero, and Oke Ewu.
Bauxite:
It can be found in Orin Ekiti and Ido Osi Local Government Area.
Gemstone:
Very useful as an ornament, gemstones (green and pink) are located in Ijero LGA, Ikole LGA.
Other are:
Aquamarine
Phosphate
Tourmaline
Mineral resources-driven policy in Ekiti
The state has shown interest in turning its resources into wealth by reducing the bottleneck that might arise from application for mining licence by foreign investors.
To drastically reduce this issue, Ekiti State established the Fountain Solid Mineral Development Company (FSMDC). FSMDC already has mining licences from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel thereby making it easy for investors to enter into joint venture mining business with the state.
Is there crude oil in Ekiti state?
Ekiti state doesn’t have crude oil. And there hasn’t been any known attempt to explore the state if it has crude oil. The state is dominated by farmers.
Conclusion:
Ekiti state is an agro-state, the “Fountain of Knowledge” is endowed with many untapped solid mineral resources in large deposits including charnockite, granite, kaolinite, columbite, and limestone.