Ensuring Top Quality

homeslide2

Geology: The fluorite deposits are believed to be of hydrothermal origin in the Post-Miocene era when lavas formed a protective cap over Precambrian rocks in the area.

The main deposit of fluorite is located at Kimwarer and is exposed on a series of five hills, four of which have been mined. Two other minor deposits knows as Choff and Kamnaon are approximately 2 to 5 km north of the present mine site and have been partially mined in the past for the production of metallurgical-grade spar.

The Kimwarer ore bodies contain by far the largest ore reserves.
The ore body contacts are distinct due to the buff colour of the ore in contrast to the grey gneiss, white marbles or pegmatites. Typically the fluorite is finely crystalline and disseminated through a siliceous matrix. Zones of high grade ore are often purplish or creamy yellow in colour with cavities filled with distinct cubic crystals.

The Choffs have two ore bodies running parallel to each other for more than 3 km. The Choffs are separated by ridges and dips. The ore body pinches and swells and its width varies between 4 metres and 26 metres. This ore is soft and friable hence easy liberation in the plant and provides a good yield. The phosphate in this vein is medium to high.

The Kamnaon ore body has more than five partly parallel veins with varying dips of between 35-45 degrees.

There are a number of other sites which are yet to be explored.

Laboratory:  We conduct two types of tests – chemical and metallurgical. The chemical section performs wet chemistry analysis and operates 24 hrs a day throughout the year and each shift is headed by a qualified chemist. The metallurgical section mainly concentrates on research and development work.

The current staff complement consists of four graduate chemists, four diploma trained chemists and eight assistant personnel who have been trained in-house, four as analysts and four as samplers.

Strict quality control of run-of-mine ore, exploration and final product analysis is maintained by sampling. KFC prides itself in the quality of its assays, which are always crosschecked with those of European laboratories, namely SGS (Netherlands), HOFF and BSI in the United States.

Weight sampling and analysis:  All analyses are being performed by SGS Kenya Ltd (Swiss company) at our cost. Gross weight loaded established by draft survey of the ship. Sampling, moisture determination and quality analysis of guaranteed elements is done by SGS in accordance with international standards.

Port storage is at our own bulk-storage facility with a capacity of 25,000 metric tons located next to the bulk loading terminal at Mbaraki wharf, Mombasa.

Loading Equipment: Automatic bulk ship loader (Demag) with telescopic conveyor which has a maximum outreach of 13.8 m (45ft). Ship loader can move on a rail over the entire 195 metres length of the berth at Mbaraki wharf.

Loading Rate: Currently the loading rate is 2,500 wet metric tonnes per weather working day, Sundays and holidays excluded, unless used. Loading is generally done continuously even during weekends and public holidays. An upgrading of the conveyor loading system is currently in progress which will allow for an increased loading rate of up to 7,000 tons wet metric tons per day.

Cargo Condition:  Chemically inert, non-reactive, non-flammable, non-hazardous mineral sand. No hazard labelling required in accordance with IMO regulations. No special precautions for storage however, in order to maintain the purity of the material, it must not be allowed to be contaminated by any other material as it is used as the base product in sensitive chemical processes to produce other products and substances.

Transport: Once the acid spar is produced, the fluorspar is loaded into 10 ton trucks and hauled to the railway siding at Kaptagat, a distance of 37km. From here it is loaded into 36 ton rail wagons for the 860 km journey to the Mbaraki wharf at Mombasa. The wagons are offloaded at the wharf where the fluorspar is stockpiled and covered while awaiting shipment. The storage capacity at Mbaraki is approximately 25,000 tons. The process of off-loading of wagons and trucks is labour intensive by means of manual labour.

Loading of the vessels is conducted using an automatic Demag Ship Loader, owned and operated by Bamburi Portland Cement Company. An average rate of 2,500 tons per day can be loaded on a continuous basis even on public holidays. The quantity loaded and moisture analyses are conducted by an independent surveyor on a continuous basis to ensure a representative result of the product loaded. Since Mombasa is one of the main ports in East Africa, chartering of vessels to carry bulk cargoes to any destination in the world can be easily arranged.

Full technical details can be obtained by contacting us on: info@kenyafluorspar.co.ke