10 Natural Resources Found in Yakurr Region of Cross River State

See the top 10 natural resources in Yakurr region of Cross river state and the various economic values. Notable ones are Kaolin, limestone and Quartzite. Investors can now plan to prospect them to the benefit of the country.

Anything natural means not man-made or artificial but made available to humans by God. In that regard, natural resources are those free gifts attributable to a land, community, particular area that are made available to us by God.

Nigeria is a country blessed with abybdabce of natural resources and these resources are available in the various states of the country.

Cross river state is definitely not left out as it houses some of the major natural resources that are available in the country. This post seeks to discuss the major natural resources available in Yakurr region of Cross river state and the various economic values which they offer:

1.  Kaolin

Kaolin is one of the natural resources that was discovered in Yakurr local government. It might not be the most popular natural resource available to mankind but its uses are without a doubt quite essential.

Kaolin is a fine white particle that contains aluminum silicate.

The uses if these raw material are almost limitless. Research conducted by scientists and archaeologist have discovered the various means by which these compound can be used.

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Uses of Kaolin

(I.) Kaolin can be used to make paper. It basically acts as a coating pigment to replace fiber. The major reason why it is essential in making paper is due to the fact that it possesses desirable optical properties.

Another reason why it is considered in most cases as a major tool in paper making is because it is not expensive as compared to the other minerals that are being employed in making paper.

(ii.) It is also essential in improving how long a concrete could last. When it is added to a concrete, what it does is that it reacts with the free lime that is released during cement hydration to produce additional cementitious material that in turn helps in improving the performance of the concrete rather quickly.

(iii.) It is also adopted as a filler in the plastic industry. This is made possible due to its unique shape, size and its structure. So if you are a maker of plastics and you are thinking of the right filler for your plastics, kaolin is what you should be considering.

(iv.) This natural resource is also essential in the filling of rubber applications. Aside improving the beauty of the rubber, it also greatly enhances the performance levels of the rubber.

(v) The chemical compounds available in Kaolin also helps it to reduce the titanium dioxide present in it and help in maintaining proper dispersion of the paint.

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2. Limestone

This is one of the most important natural resource that is available in Nigeria and Cross river state is one of the states in Nigeria where it was discovered. It is a sedimentary rock that is made up of calcium carbonate. The impact of limestone as a rock and its uses cannot be overemphasized. It is a very strong component that when crushed can be used for quite a number of construction purposes. Basically everything that has been constructed today in our world can be attributed to this amazing rock. Pure limestone is mainly white in color.

Uses of Limestone

(I.) It can be used in road bases and also on railroad ballasts.

(ii.) It can also be used in complementing cement and concrete by firing it in a kiln with crushed shale.

(iii.) Due to the fact that Limestone is nontoxic, it can also be added to ponds and lakes; this process is known as liming and it is essential in protecting the water from becoming too acidic.

(iv.) They are also employed because of their inexpensive nature. Its preferable to solid stone when creating building structures. It is also a cheaper means of slowing down acidification.

(vi.) Due to the rock’s strong nature, its what is considered in erecting building structures that are designed to last for long periods of time. E.g the Great Pyramid in Egypt was made with limestone and it has been standing for ages definitely passing the test of time.

(vii.) The chalks also being used in writing in our classrooms today by teachers is also a form of limestone.

3. Quartzite

This is one of the natural resources that was also discovered in Yakurr area in Cross river state. The quartzite used to be pure quartz sandstone before it was converted to the present day quartzite through heating and pressure. The colors of a pure quartzite are normally white and grey. It is a metamorphic rock and it’s during the period of its metamorphism that it loses most of its sand stone and sedimentary nature.

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Uses of Quartzite

(I.)  Due to it’s hardness and its angular shape, it is considered very useful as a stone for stabilization along railway tracks.

(ii.)  It is worthy of note that this rock is considered a decorative stone and the quartzite slabs has been applied to cover walls, as roofing tiles, for stair steps and also for flooring.

(iii.).  Its hard nature is also one of the sole reasons why it’s also bring considered when making counter tops in kitchens because it is considered to be more resistant to stains unlike granite on the other hand.

(iv.).  When quartzite is crushed, it is also considered for usage in road construction and repairs. It is also highly considered when making bricks and as a dimension stone for building facings, pavings, e.t.c

(v.).  Pure quartzite can also be used as a source of silica for metallurgical purposes.

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The three natural resources discussed above are the major natural resources that was discovered in the Yakurr local government area of Cross river state.

From the above mentioned points you will discover from their uses that they are very important natural resources that cuts across almost all the industries in Nigeria and if they are being put to the best of uses, they could yield the best of results.

So if you are a construction agent, a surveyor or generally into building, these rocks should really be in your inventory as part of the necessary components to exploit if you intend to build a long lasting structure that will stand the test of time and be the envy of many for the years to come.

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