Nigeria and its tin fieldsCalvert, Albert Frederick
History
Nigeria and its tin fields
Calvert, Albert Frederick
Tin mines and mining -- Nigeria
In the general introductory summary of the first report of the surveyors,
the prospects of the tin fields of Northern Nigeria are described with
the customary official reserve. “Tin, in the form of cassiterite,” the
report stated, “has now been found in the stream beds of other districts.
It is probable that as soon as suitable transport is provided Northern
Nigeria will become an important tin-producing country. Already deposits
in the Bauchi Province are being worked by the Niger Company, and
the metal smelted on the spot. The first consignment of tin from the
Protectorate has reached this country.”
The prospect presented by this information, backed up by substantial
shipments of tin, might have been expected to stimulate the curiosity
of both prospectors and capitalists, and that other Richmonds would
have made an appearance in the Bauchi field. But any hopes of such a
result were doomed to disappointment. The Niger Company continued to
win mineral, and the Mineral Survey persisted in their efforts to prove
the extent of country over which the granites were tin bearing. It is
possible that the remoteness and inaccessibility of the Protectorate
operated unfavourably in the minds of mining adventurers, and the evil
reputation which had been erroneously given to the country may have moved
financiers to an excess of cautiousness. The colony made no new friends,
and, as will be shown later, it was not until last year and then only by
the accident of failure in another direction, that capital was diverted
into the new tin field.
TINSTONE CONCENTRATES ANALYSED
Eleven specimens of tinstone concentrates from the Zagi River, south
of Bauchi, from Bula, Tilde, and the river beyond Joss were forwarded
to the Imperial Institute, and with only one exception were found upon
analysis to contain tin in quantities of from mere traces up to 80.85 per
cent, of tin oxide, equivalent to 63.5 per cent. of metallic tin in the
concentrate.
The official general remarks on the specimens analysed were as follows:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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