Submissions on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the Base Titanium Limited Extension of Mineral Sands Operation in Kwale County
- Category: NECSA Memoranda
- Date 24-06-2021
In June 2021, Base Titanium, a company owned by Base Resources of Australia and operating in Kwale County, filed an application with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to extend its Kwale mine northwards in areas that had not been covered by the current mining licence.
In a quote from the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment filed with NEMA the company says, “In a move to assess the possibility of extending the life of mine even further, Base, in 2018, decided to re-evaluate the potential of the ‘North Dune’ mineral deposit, which is located immediately to the North-East of the Kwale operation’s offices and plant. The North Dune is a low-grade 582 hectare resource that has the clear potential to be economic.”
The company also sought to extend the lifeline of its operations which had recently been extended by a year after the Ministry allowed it to extend further south in what is now called the “South Dune.” Prior to the extension, mining operations had been restricted to the Central Dune. In its application to NEMA, the company goes on to say, “The proposed project of mining in the North Dune commencing in early 2024, increase the life of mine by a further four to 4.5 years.”
The company has been in Kwale since the 90s but operations had been restricted due to environmental concerns, conflicts with the community, and insufficient funds. After acquisition by a Canadian firm - Tiomen Resources - the company was able to start operations and exported its first cargo in 2014.
Base Titanium exports three mineral sands; ilmenite (titanium-iron oxide which is used in making paint), rutile (titanium oxide used in making titanium metal) and zircon (zirconium silicate which is a raw material in the manufacture of ceramics).
In the ESIA, the company quotes that “The (Kwale) operation adds an estimated $108 million (sh.11.8bn) to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually and generates a total of $186 million (sh.20.3bn) in economic output per year.”
In pursuant to this a consultative panel comprising of stakeholders from Kwale County Natural Resources Network (KCNRN), National Environment Civil Society Alliance of Kenya (NECSA-K) and World Wide Fund for nature (WWF-Kenya) critically examined the contents of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the North Dune Extension and generated comments that can be accessed here.