Kenya Fluorspar

The deposit has been commercially mined since 1971. Initially, metallurgical grade fluorspar was produced. In 1975 a 100,000 ton per annum acid grade fluorspar concentrator was commissioned and by 1979 metallurgical grade fluorspar was no longer produced as primary product, but can still be produced as secondary product for smaller consignments.

The Kimwarer ore deposit has now been mined for over 35 years. Mining is by open cast methods. Overburden is removed at a ratio of 3:1 to 8:1 (waste to ore) depending on the ore body, with over 700,000 tons of waste being stripped per annum at current production levels. Overburden is normally trucked away using 25 ton trucks provided by contractors, while the exposed ore is extracted by drilling and blasting. A total of approximately 360,000 tons of ore is mined annually. The geology has indicated that the ore body extends beneath the valley floor level and an open pit is being planned.