Use the 970 minerals found in Kenya well

The Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Marine affairs has published a preliminary mineral assessment from 15 counties that shows that Kenya has nine hundred and seventy (970) minerals. These minerals have been classified as having the potential for further prospecting for exploration to establish their nature, economic viability and their net worth in order to determine their commercial viability. A survey from 15 counties established that counties have valuable minerals like copper, graphite, Manganese, Iron ore, Coltan (which is the principal mineral for laptops/computers and mobile phones and all electronics), Thorium, Nickel, Cobalt, industrial minerals, base metals, precious metals, rare earth metals, radio-active minerals, gemstones, construction and building materials.

This survey has many lessons for Kenya. One, it confirms what Geographers have always estimated of the country that it is endowed with vast natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable ones like water, forestry, fisheries, and minerals like geothermal, wind, solar, coal, gas, and oil. Secondly, it builds on the consensus that there is need for enhanced mineral resource exploitation in Kenya through introduction of ground trothing to confirm accurate details, mechanization, efficiency and effectiveness can make the sector to contribute more than 10% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030. This huge potential has not been fully leveraged as exemplified by the study undertaken by KPMG in 2016, that found out that the sector contributes an average of 0.4 percent of GDP. In 2020, the mineral sector contribution to GDP was 0.7 percent and in 2021, it was 0.8 percent. This is attributed to existence of many challenges, including use of outdated technologies, limited financing for large scale mining activities, environmental pollution, degradation, and reliance on small scale and uneconomical mining operations. Thirdly, the survey is essential because by mapping out the minerals, the country and county can operationalize partnerships and collaborations to exploit the mineral wealth within our borders. It will reduce the traditional approaches to endless exploration and start the commercial exploitation of the endowments to lend a hand in economic development. Fourthly, the mineral potential should be followed with value addition and manufacturing through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and other collaborations so that industries can be set up to employ Kenyans and create jobs that promote economic growth. In the US, mineral exploitation generates 1.3 direct and indirect jobs and each job in mining generates 2.9 other jobs, in addition to paying increased taxes. Dr. Mutegi Giti, Urban management, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) &Environment specialist, mutegigiti@gmail.com, @danielgiti.