Soda mining in magadi[photo/nation.co.ke/]Here are some of the leading minerals in Kenya
Soda
Ash Kenya is the third largest producer of soda ash in the world. For some time, soda ash has been the country’s leading mineral export and is mined at Lake Magadi in Kajiado County. It occurs in crystals called trona and is also referred to as sodium bicarbonate.
Its value has, however, been going down since 2014 when it was at Sh8.4 billion, while in 2015 the value was at Sh7 billion.
Fluorspar
Kenya is the seventh producer of fluorspar globally through the mineral’s value has been decreasing by about Sh400 million for the last three years. This has been mainly as a result of international forces that saw the value decline by Sh60 million as international prices dropped, forcing local production to be suspended.
Earnings from fluorspar plunged by 39 percent last year to Sh868.8 million following the closure of Eldoret based mining firm, Kenya Fluorspar Company. Fluorspar output declined from 70,100 tonnes in 2015 to 42,700 tonnes in 2016.
Gold
The sub-sector has been depressed in the last four years. However, things may be looking up for Kenya’s gold mining after Goldplat in January borrowed Sh200 million to finance the expansion of its Kilimapesa processing plant in Trans Mara West.
The only 200kg of gold was produced in the country last year, according to official estimates captured in the Economic Survey, but there is a consensus that actual production was much higher.
Diatomite
Diatomite value has stagnated at Sh71 million in the last three years. Chinese mining firm Chuanshan, in March this year, announced it would invest $40 million (Sh4.13 billion) in exploration and mining of diatomite at Marigat in Baringo County. This will be the second such operation in Rift Valley, after African Diatomite Industries at Kariandusi near Gilgil town.