Valuable Mineral (Coltan) Discovered In Six Counties In Kenya
Kenya’s Minister for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Salim Mvurya announced discovery of valuable mineral (Coltan) in six counties.
According to the ministry of mining, Kenya has found its first deposits of the important mineral coltan.
Mobile phones, electric car batteries, and other modern equipment are made from this rare mineral.
More than 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.
The extent of the coltan deposits in Kenya is unknown.
Valuable Mineral (Coltan) Discovered In Six Counties In Kenya
Previous indications from mining officials suggested that Kenya might contain traces of the extremely precious commodity, but with his revelation on Wednesday, Salim Mvurya, Kenya’s Minister for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, declared that “it is now official” that Kenya contains reserves of coltan.
Although deposits of the material have been discovered nationwide in six counties, its exact worth is unknown.
“We will leave our teams behind to do ground truthing so that we can now begin to assess the economic value of that particular mineral,” Mvurya stated.
One of the six counties in eastern Kenya that has reserves of the mineral, Embu County, has warned its citizens to hang onto their land.
The privately held East African daily quoted county MP Nebart Muriuki as saying, “If you want to benefit, you should not sell your land because a precious mineral has been found here.”
According to Mr. Mvurya, the discovery is anticipated to increase employment and boost Kenya’s mining industry.
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) estimates that mining may contribute up to 10% of Kenya’s GDP, while it currently contributes less than 1%.
Valuable Mineral (Coltan) Discovered In Six Counties In Kenya 
Metallic tantalum, a powder that resists heat and is used to make capacitors, which are then used to make 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 sells for $48 (£37).
According to analysts, the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is a result of opposing militias fighting for control of mines that generate important minerals like coltan. The demand for coltan is expanding quickly on the international scene.
DR Congo, as well as Rwanda, a neighbor, are the top suppliers of the coltan mineral in the world.
