According to the ministry of mines, Kenya has found its first deposit of the valuable mineral coltan.
Batteries for electric vehicles, cell phones, and other electronics are made from the uncommon mineral.
Over 70% of the world’s stocks of coltan are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has long been a source of deadly strife in the east of the nation.
Kenya’s Minister of Mines, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Selim Mvuria, stated on Wednesday that his declaration meant “it is now official” that Kenya possesses reserves of the highly precious metal, despite previous indications from mining officials that Kenya might contain traces of the mineral.
Although deposits of the mineral have been discovered nationwide in six counties, its exact value is still unknown.
Mr. Mvuria stated, “We will now start assessing the economic value of that particular mineral. We will leave our teams to do ground truthing.”
It has been suggested to the people of Embu County, one of the six counties in eastern Kenya that has mineral riches, to hang onto their land.
The privately held East African daily cited county MP Nebert Muriuki as saying, “If you want to benefit, you should not sell the land.” A valuable mineral has been identified here.
According to Mr. Mvuria, the discovery is anticipated to boost employment and grow Kenya’s mining sector.
The mining industry in Kenya contributes less than 1% of the country’s GDP, but it has the potential to contribute as much as 10%, according to the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).
Metallic tantalum, a heat-resistant powder used to create capacitors, which are then used to create electrical devices, is frequently made from refined coltan.
The amount of tantalum in coltan determines its price, although according to Forbes, a kilogram of the rare commodity typically costs $48 (£37).
According to analysts, opposing militias in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are fighting over control of mines that produce coltan and other important minerals, and this war is a result of the fast increasing demand for coltan on a global scale.
DR Congo and Rwanda, its neighbor, are two of the world’s leading producers of coltan.
