Hassan Abubakar Adamu Defends Ground-breaking Research on Barite Mining and Environmental Health Risks

On December 16, 2025, the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) hosted a successful Ph.D defense by Hassan Abubakar Adamu from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

His dissertation, titled "A Study of Plasticity and Multi-Scale Fracture Surface Interactions of Rocks for Enhanced Mineral Extraction," presents pioneering research on the environmental and health impacts of barite mining in Nigeria.

Barite is a critical mineral used extensively in the oil industry, particularly in drilling mud for crude oil extraction.

Nigeria, holding the 10th largest crude oil reserve globally, produces over 2 million barrels of oil daily, driving the demand for processed barite.

According to Statistica (2020), global barite production stood at 7.5 million metric tons, with market value projected to grow from 1.4 billion to2.4 billion by 2027.

Despite barite’s industrial importance, its mining—especially in northern Nigeria—poses serious environmental and health challenges. Previous studies largely overlooked seasonal variations at mining sites and the risks to communities near these sites. Adamu’s research bridges these gaps by conducting year-round sampling from active and abandoned mines, assessing heavy metal contamination, and identifying populations most at risk.

Unlike earlier works that primarily focused on specific gravity determination and mineral processing, Adamu’s study emphasizes the mechanical properties of barite and rock impurities affecting industrial applications. His research contributes novel insights into environmental sustainability and safety, addressing the mobilization of barite particles and the ecological risks posed during mineral beneficiation.

The Ph.D defense committee comprises of distinguished scholars including Dr. David Oluwasegun Afrolanga, Dr. Olumide S.O Ogumodimu, Prof. Wole Winston Soboyejo, Prof. Azikiwe Peter Onwaulu, and Dr. Nelson Y. Nzade.

The defense was held at the School of Computing Building via video conference. Following a rigorous review and question session, Hassan Abubakar Adamu passed with commendations, marking a significant milestone for AUST’s commitment to impactful scientific research addressing Nigeria’s environmental and industrial challenges.