The Ministry of Mining has given companies prospecting for minerals in Kenya two weeks to provide information on ownership and source of funding before they can be given authorisation.
This comes just days after the Ministry lifted the ban on exploration and license renewal to allow a countrywide mapping of the country's mineral resources.
Now, mining firms with operations already will also be expected to provide information on their operations and owners, an exercise the ministry has stated will help the country weed out firms taking advantage of Kenyans.
“All applicants with pending applications for new and renewal of mineral rights in the Mining Cadastre System for all categories of Mineral Rights (Prospecting and Mining Licences AND Permits) are hereby notified to update their records within 14 days from the date of this notice,” Mining Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi stated.
Already, the ministry has suspended over 3,000 companies due to varied reasons including operating without licences.
Miners hoping to set base are also required to provide financial proof including audited records and bank statements for three years before they can be given the green light to operate.
Over the last four years, Kenya has been unable to attract any new investment in the mining sector with some firms closing shop, citing frustrations from the government.
Kenya has not renewed mining licenses since 2015 and has not issued any new exploration licenses since 2019.
The country has proven deposits of titanium in Kwale, gold in western Kenya and coal at Mui Basin, Kitui.
Also, Kenya is believed to hold significant deposits of copper, niobium, manganese and rare earth minerals, which largely remain under-exploited.
In Western Kenya, gold mining in Kakamega and Migori counties is mostly small scale with a few big players who have scaled down operations over the past two years.
