Abstract

The study was conducted in the Central Zone of Taraba State, located in northeastern Nigeria, between latitudes 6°30'N and 8°30'N and longitudes 10°00'E and 11°30'E. This region includes key Local Government Areas (LGAs) such as Bali, Gashaka, and Sardauna, where artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities are extensively practiced. Ecologically, the zone spans two major eco-regions: the Guinea Savanna lowlands and the montane grasslands of the Mambilla Plateau, the latter rising to altitudes above 1,500 meters above sea level. The climate is tropical sub-humid, characterized by a distinct rainy season from April to October and a dry season from November to March, driven by the seasonal oscillation of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Mean annual rainfall varies across elevation gradients, ranging from 1,200 mm in Bali to over 2,500 mm in Sardauna, with pronounced intra-annual and inter-annual variability.