Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of Artisanal Gypsum Mining in Fika Local Government Area, Yobe State, Nigeria

This study examined the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of artisanal gypsum mining in Fika Local Government Area (LGA) of Yobe State, Nigeria, where mining serves as an important livelihood activity for rural households but simultaneously generates significant environmental challenges.A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was employed to collect perception-based data from 150 respondents selected through a multi-stage sampling technique across three mining communities.Data were obtained using structured questionnaires complemented by systematic field observations.Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive measures, Z-tests, chi-square tests, binomial tests, and the Relative Importance Index (RII) to rank the severity of environmental impacts.The findings revealed that gypsum mining contributes substantially to the local economy.A total of 99.33% of respondents identified mining as a major income source after farming, while 96.67% confirmed its role in employment creation.However, the environmental impacts were overwhelmingly severe.Respondents unanimously linked mining activities to deforestation, soil cover destruction, farmland loss, flooding, disease-vector breeding sites, and the conversion of land into uncultivable surfaces, all of which ranked highest in the RII (1.00).Regulatory challenges were also evident, as 98% of miners operated without licenses, used crude tools, and abandoned pits without reclamation.The study concludes that while gypsum mining provides crucial economic benefits, its current unregulated nature is environmentally unsustainable.It recommends formalizing mining operations, enforcing reclamation, strengthening environmental monitoring, training miners on safer methods, and promoting alternative livelihoods.