Manganese mining in Taita Taveta to kick off next year

After many years of waiting, an Australian mining company has announced its plans to start extracting manganese ore in Taita Taveta.

Universal Resources International said plans are at an advanced stage to kick off mining of the mineral in Mariwenyi, Mwatate sub-county, in April next year.

The company had planned to start mining last year but it was disrupted by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Australian investor was licensed to mine, supply and export manganese ore for 25 years starting in 2018 and aims to extract and export over 100,000 tonnes of pure manganese annually.

According to the company’s research, the quantity of manganese ore deposits in Mariwenyi can be extracted for 50-100 years.

The company's CEO, Lloyd Mark Stephenson, said that for the last eight months the company has been building infrastructure at the mining site to get ready for the extraction of the ore next year.

"I have managed to get investors and together we are putting up the infrastructure and requirements for this project," he said.

The investor said the company has pumped over Sh600 million into the project and envisages investing Sh2.2 billion more.

"Investing takes time because for us to get to this point it has taken over 10 years. This is going to be a large mine which will last up to 50 years. We are still prospecting and this may go beyond the 50 years," he said.

He said Kenya is set to benefit from its vast mineral deposits, which he said are under-tapped.

"The future for Kenya should be looking very bright. Mining will give Kenya its independence in terms of economic growth. This country will be a jewel of Africa," he said.

Mr Stephenson said that it has not been an easy journey. The cost of investing has increased due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

He said that the expectations of some locals that they will immediately start getting the benefits once an investor asks for consent to prospect and extract minerals is unrealistic.

"The whole investment process takes time. That is why we have taken this long to kick off. The people will benefit if they start to embrace the benefit of having international investors who come to mine their resources. For people to invest, the government must put proper plans to attract investors," he said.

The government is set to earn monthly royalties of up to Sh98 million from the project.

Locals in the manganese-rich area are now optimistic that they will start earning from their land that has been lying idle.

They expressed hopes that the mine would improve their livelihoods by offering them job opportunities and boosting the economy of the area. The project aims to create 300 jobs for locals.

More than 36 families whose land was acquired to pave the way for the extraction of the mineral would get at least one per cent of the total sales every month. According to the agreement, each landowner will get up to Sh60,000 monthly.

The mine will also be a key source of revenue for the Taita Taveta County government.

Apart from the royalties, the company will also conduct several projects through the Community Development Agreement (CDA).

The CDA funds will help in developing schools, health facilities, roads and water projects. Residents have already outlined the projects in their CDA document.

The mining company has also drilled a borehole in the area, benefiting the three villages of Mbambarenyi, Mariwenyi and Kilabu.

Over 300 households can now get clean and safe water for domestic and livestock purposes.

Ms Halima Mwake said the boreholes will help in farming, livestock rearing and keeping children in school.

She said residents will also benefit from job opportunities from the company.

"Our lives are about to turn around. We have waited for many years for us to benefit from this project," she said.

Manganese is the 12th most abundant element in the earth’s crust and its demand has been growing significantly in recent years.

Annually, about 18.5 million tonnes of manganese ore are produced globally, with 98 per cent of the mineral used in the production of iron and steel. The ore is also used to make bleaching powder, insecticides, manufacturing batteries and paints.

South Africa is the world’s largest producer of manganese, accounting for 33.5 per cent of global production.

South Africa produces 6.2 million tonnes of manganese followed by Australia with an annual production of about 3 million. China comes third with annual production of 2.9 million tonnes.

In 2019, Kenya exported manganese ore worth over Sh354 million, ranking it the 35th exporter of the mineral in the world. The same year, manganese ore was the 195th most exported product in Kenya.

The main destinations of manganese ore exports from Kenya are China, India and South Africa.

In Kenya, manganese deposits are found in Taita Taveta, Kilifi, Samburu, Isiolo and Marsabit (Moyale).

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