Kenya discovers coltan mineral
Kenya has made a discovery of coltan mineral. Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Salim Mvurya confirmed the report and said deposits of the precious mineral have been identified in six counties including Embu.
“It is now official. We have coltan deposits in the country and we want to see how we can inspire the investors. So far 970 mineral occurrences have been noted across the country and mining would kick off soon,” said CS Mvurya.
Tapping into the global demand
Mining in Kenya yields high-grade quantities of gold, copper, ilmenite and tantalum. Kenya is also an important source of non-metallic minerals including soda ash, limestone, salt, niobium, fluorspar and fossil fuels. This discovery according to CS Mvurya could significantly contribute to Kenya’s economy by tapping into the global demand for electronic devices. The CS said the government will put emphasis on assessing the economic value of the mineral, employing more workers for exploration, and decentralizing laboratory services to declare the quality of minerals found.
The rare mineral is used to manufacture electric car batteries, mobile phones and other electronic devices. Coltan is often refined into metallic tantalum, a heat-resistant powder that is used to produce capacitors, which are then used to manufacture the electronic devices. The Democratic Republic of Congo holds more than 70% of the world’s coltan reserves, which have for decades fuelled violent conflict in the east of the country.
