The relationship between textural properties of selected Nigeria rocks and penetration rate of top-hole hammer drill was investigated. These rock samples were tested in the laboratory for mineral composition, silica content and porosity. Also, average grain size and packing density were determined from photomicrograph of the samples using empirical equations proposed by researchers. Penetration rate for each rock samples obtained in the field were correlated with the textural properties to establish their relationships.The results show that all textural character and penetration rate have high coefficient of correlation for all the samples. The highest penetration rate was experience on biotite hornblende-granite having mean packing density of 92.58% and the silica content vary for 82. 60 -82.72%. This has revealed that penetration rate of rock drill bit in quarries is related to textural rock properties and this will be necessary to have overview of time of drilling as well as rock response to mechanical loading.

In this work, the permeability characteristics of Nigerian coal seams were determined and these properties were used to investigation the applicability of water infusion in the coal seams to solve coal-mining problems. The experimental work was conducted with Triaxial Compression Machine adapted for the permeability test comprising of Hoek cell, a self- developed water piston, pressure gauge and an overhead water tank. The results of the investigation showed that the permeability measurements of the coals were consistent at the different sites and locations of the coalmines. It also revealed that the difference in coal seam permeability was relatively small in Nigeria.

Rock slope failure mechanisms were assessed in this study using KOPEC and RCC quarries as case studies in Oyo state. Discontinuities such as joints and bedding planes were obtained through face mapping and scanline survey of the excavated slopes of the quarries. Stereographic projections of the discontinuities were generated using ROCKPACK III and the stereonets analyzed in accordance with Markland’s plane failure analysis. The results of the analyses show that there are possibilities of plane failures in the south- east region of KOPEC quarry slope face and south –west region of RCC quarry slope face. It is therefore recommended that constant monitoring of the slope failure should be done and the slope angle should be less than 700 and 600 for KOPEC quarry and RCC quarry respectively.

The design and planning of an open pit mine is about the economics of the mine and are governed by geological and engineering characteristics. A mine design software (CSMine) was used to design the final pit limits, tons per block and number of benches for Ajabanoko iron ore deposit using pit restrictions. These restrictions are; surface constraints, geometric pit limits, outer economic bounds and floating cone bounds. The block model for the pit design was created using three sets of parameters which includes; the key block coordinates, the block size and the number of blocks in the X, Y, and Z directions. The final pit limit obtained for the deposit is 113.25m.