Kenya Fluorspar Company
Encyclopedia
Kenya Fluorspar Company (formerly Fluorspar Company of Kenya) is a privately-held mining company
in Kenya
. It is located near Eldoret
in Rift Valley Province of western Kenya
, in the Kerio Valley
, known for its significant fluorite deposits, first discovered in 1967. Fluorspar is the second most important mining commodity in Kenya after soda ash . From fluorspar the company produces fluorite
s, which are a key component in the manufacture of some industrial commodities, including steel
, hydrofluoric acid
and opalescent glass.
.
The company produces about 100,000 tonnes of fluorspar annually and is the only major industry in Keiyo District
. Kimwarer
is the largest settlement in the Kerio Valley area and is effectively a company town due the mining activities .
In 2005, production was valued at $14 million . most of its production is exported . Much of its product is exported to India
and Europe
.
KFC's mining operations were halted in 2009 due to economic downturn, but are set to continue in June 2010 .
KFC's main business offices are located in Nairobi
.
The company sponsors an annual 10 Kilometres road running
competition in Kerio Valley and the Fluorspar FC playing in Nationwide League.
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It is located near Eldoret
Eldoret
Eldoret is a town in western Kenya and the administrative centre of Uasin Gishu District of Rift Valley Province. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2100 metres above sea level at the airport to more than 2700 metres in nearby areas...
in Rift Valley Province of western Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, in the Kerio Valley
Kerio Valley
Kerio Valley lies between the Tugen Hills and the Elgeyo escarpment at an elevation of 1,000 m. in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. The valley lies in a narrow, long strip approximately 80 km by 10 km wide at its widest, through which the Kerio River flows....
, known for its significant fluorite deposits, first discovered in 1967. Fluorspar is the second most important mining commodity in Kenya after soda ash . From fluorspar the company produces fluorite
Fluorite
Fluorite is a halide mineral composed of calcium fluoride, CaF2. It is an isometric mineral with a cubic habit, though octahedral and more complex isometric forms are not uncommon...
s, which are a key component in the manufacture of some industrial commodities, including steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water. It is a valued source of fluorine and is the precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals such as fluoxetine and diverse materials such as PTFE ....
and opalescent glass.
Operations
The company began producing fluorites in the early 1970s and its Kimwarer mine has been in operation since. In 1996, businessman Charles Field-Marsham acquired Kenya Fluourspar as part of a government reform effort of corporate privatizationPrivatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
.
The company produces about 100,000 tonnes of fluorspar annually and is the only major industry in Keiyo District
Keiyo District
Keiyo District is an administrative district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The district was formed in 1994, when Elgeyo/Marakwet-District was split into two, the other half is Marakwet District of today. Keiyo District has a population of 143.865...
. Kimwarer
Kimwarer
Kimwarer is a village in Keiyo District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya. It is located along the B54 Road between Eldoret and Tenges, in the southern part of Kerio Valley and in the drainage basin area of the Kerio River. One of the nearest villages is Kaptagat, located 10 kilometres west of Kimwarer...
is the largest settlement in the Kerio Valley area and is effectively a company town due the mining activities .
In 2005, production was valued at $14 million . most of its production is exported . Much of its product is exported to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
KFC's mining operations were halted in 2009 due to economic downturn, but are set to continue in June 2010 .
KFC's main business offices are located in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
.
Community work and sponsorship
It is a leading employer in the area with 400 workers and its corporate social responsibilities program provides health, education and other facilities to its employees and the local community .The company sponsors an annual 10 Kilometres road running
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
competition in Kerio Valley and the Fluorspar FC playing in Nationwide League.
Controversy
People have been displaced from the area to make way for mining, but the evicted people claim they have not been compensated appropriately, although it is denied by the company and the government . The company has also been accused of environmental damage .External links
- Kenya Fluourspar Company official site
- Reuters story, Firebird Fund investment news, Jan 13 2009
- United States Geological Survey, "Fluourspar in the Third Quarter 2008
- Nyambok & Gaciri: Geology of the fluorite deposits in Kerio Valley, Kenya (abstract). Economic Geology; April 1975; v. 70; no. 2; p. 299-307.