Mining - Class 8 Social Studies Revision Notes

• Limestone
  
  • Mining Areas
  • Uses Of Limestone
• Flourspar
  
  • Uses Of Flourspar
• Diatomite
  
  • Uses Of Diatomite
• Salt
  
  • Uses Of Salt
• Marbles
  
  • Mining Methods
  • Mining Areas
  • Uses
• Gemstone
  
  • Types Of Gemstone
  • Uses
• Distribution Of Minerals In Kenya
• Contribution Of Minerals To The Economic Of Kenya
• Effects Of Mining On The Environment

Mining

• This is the extraction of minerals from the ground
• Major minerals in Kenya
  
  • soda ash
  • limestone
  • flourspar
  • diatomite
  • marbles gemstone
  • salt

Limestone

• found in areas with sedimentary soil/rocks

Mining Areas

• Bamburi- Mombasa County
• Athi River- Machakos County
• Homa Hills- Homa Bay
• Sultan Hamud- Makueni County
• Koru- Kisumu County

mining methods used is open cast method

Uses Of Limestone

• Making cement
  Making fertilizer
  Manufacturing paints
  Treating water
  Used in road construction

Flourspar

• mined at kimwarer in kerio valle,elgeyo marakwet county.
• Method used is open cast mining method

Uses Of Flourspar

• Making toothpaste
• Making sulphuric acid
• Making cement
• Making cans
• Strengthening iron, steel and alluminium
• Used in oil refineries

Diatomite

• Mined at Kariandusi near Gilgil in Nakuru County
• Mining method is open cast method

Uses Of Diatomite

• Making paintspreserving fertilizer
• Making water filters
• Making heat insultors
• Used in dry cleaning industries
• Used to make plasters
• Making soaps

Salt

• Mined at Magadi-kajiado County, Ngomeni and Fundisa In Kilifi County

Uses Of Salt

• Flavouring food
• Preserving food
• Making soap
• Making dyes
• Flavouring animal feeds
• Manufacturing papers
• Making chemicals
• Making drugs

Marbles

• Marble is a hard smooth stone
• Has white and dark colours

Mining Methods

• Quarrying or open cast

Mining Areas

• Athi River- Machakos
• Kerio Valley- Marakwet County

Uses

• Making ornaments- rings, necklaces, bangles, earring
• Making statues

Gemstone

• Also called precious stone.

Types Of Gemstone

• rubies
• garnets
• tourmalines

Mined in Voi and Mwatate in Taita Taveta County

Uses

• Making bangles
• Making earings
• Making necklaces

Distribution Of Minerals In Kenya

Contribution Of Minerals To The Economic Of Kenya

1. Create employment
2. Earns foreign exchange
3. It is a source of income
4. Has led to urbanization
5. The government earns revenue
6. Has promoted trade
7. Has improved people’s living standards

Effects Of Mining On The Environment

1. Noise pollution
2. Air pollution
3. Ugliness of the landdestruction of vegetation
4. Pits left can result to death of people and animals
5. Pits become breeding areas for snails and mosquitoes