A management team and board of local and international mining professionals immediately introduced modern mining techniques and also focused on plant efficiencies. Major investments were made in earth-moving equipment for the seven active mining sites.
The Company endeavoured to provide preference to the local community in its employment policy. More than 80% of direct employment was drawn from the local community, with external employment limited to where specific specific skills were required.
As operations proceeded, the Company began to reinvest a share of its profits into benefitting the local and surrounding communities in the Kerio Valley, through community services and assistance in healthcare, education, environmental initiatives, sports and recreation initiatives, infrastructure, and local infrastructure. Throughout the 21 year lease the Company provided the community with clean, potable water.
2002
The first of numerous investments were made to upgrade part of the mining fleet and to improve/upgrade an aging processing plant.
2008
At the end of this year, the world experienced a global downturn in commodities, resulting in the Company suspending operations for 18 months with operations re-commencing in July 2010.
The Company, with the assistance of a global leader on tailings disposal systems, established a new tailings dam disposal system which not only catered for waste handling but also provided for a waste water recycle system. The benefits of this system were that waste was handled efficiently and clean wastewater could be recycled to the Plant thereby reducing dependency on fresh water from the rivers.
Throughout this economic recession, while the Company's operations were under suspension, assistance to the community continued.
2009
During the operational shutdown the Company embarked on an extensive drilling program to confirm the ore reserve body, with the program concluding mid-2010 with the confirmation of the ore reserves.
2011
The Company completed a de-bottlenecking process in the plant enabling it to increase its total annual capacity from 100k tons per annum to 120k tons.
Extensive research by the laboratory team in co-operation with an external consultant during the suspension of operations lead to the introduction of a new ‘reagent’ in the flotation recovery process resulting in an enhanced final product for the global export market – mainly India and Europe.
2012
Kenya Fluorspar experienced two years of record production and profits in 2011 and 2012 as commodity prices recovered from the recession.
2012
A modern USD 250,000 medical facility, the Field-Marsham Medical Centre, was opened to replace an existing outdated clinic facility. Complete with an ambulance, the clinic served the needs of Company staff as well as the surrounding community.
The new facility was five times larger than the original clinic and was equipped with the latest technology and staffed with fourteen qualified staff and operations subsidised by the Company with a budget of USD 100,000+ per annum.
The facility included a range of clinics that offered numerous services, including outpatient services, inpatient services, nutrition clinics, maternity services, pharmacy and treatment services, family planning and an outreach program that provided free medical services and basic prescriptions to those in need within a 25 kilometre range of the Company. The Company had a policy that providing medical facilities was a right for all individuals, making it affordable at all costs – even making services free for those who could not afford.
2012
To benefit the children of employees and the surrounding community, an Early Childhood Development Centre was constructed, and Fluorspar Primary School became one of the first schools in Kenya to be equipped with ‘smartboards’, e-learning equipment, a computer lab and free Wi-Fi throughout the school.
Established in the Kimwarer Community and supported annually through significant investment from Kenya Fluorspar, Fluorspar Primary School boasted approximately 280 pupils each year, with 15 teaching and 5 support staff. The pupils were evenly distributed between children of Company employees and those from the community. Parents contributed ~20% towards the annual school fees while the company’s commitment to the school averaged around USD 120,000 a year (and USD 200,000 per annum in the busiest years), and included a range of support from equipment to full boarding for more senior classes.
Fluorspar Primary School was regularly acknowledged within the top ten schools of the district out of 162 total schools. From 2014-2016 the school's library was voted one of the top three in Kenya and in 2016 the library was voted the best primary school library in Kenya. Working in tandem with the KEY (Knowledge Empowers Youth) organization, the company also supplied thousands of books and resources to local public schools within the region.
The Company also continued its long-standing support with KENSAP (Kenya Scholar Athlete Program) through which deserving young Kenyans were given the unique opportunity to attend Ivy League universities in the United States. Kenya Fluorspar provided financing, accommodation and logistics for the phenomenally successful project. Since its founding in 2004, the organization has placed 275 students at a range of prestigious institutions in Northern America.
2012
Adding to its existing sports facilities, which included an all-purpose football and athletics stadium, the Company supported the building of an ultra-modern Taekwondo facility at a cost of ~USD 150,000.
After the facility was commissioned in July 2012, 600+ students and adults received free training per year at an annual cost of ~ USD 80,000 to the Company. Fluorspar Primary School incorporated Taekwondo classes into its curriculum, with students receiving 4 classes per week. Hundreds of students graduated through different levels of the sport. In 2016, one of the largest black belt grading tests ever held was hosted at the facility with 114 students participating.
Kenya Fluorspar sponsored an annual local sports league for local communities covering football, handball, volleyball & netball at a cost of ~USD 20,000 per season, along with other support for various sports and recreational activities.
2015
A borehole supplying clean, potable water was drilled and equipped in 2015 for use by the local Kimwarer community.
2015
The Company marked One Million Man Hours without a Lost Time Injury with a day of celebration for workers and their families, in recognition that it was a team effort. The Health and Safety Department and the workers recognized that working safely was an important cornerstone of the Company’s operations and workers’ health and safety was the number one priority.
Taking steps to protect the environment and the community in its operations was always a top priority, both in the mining process - reducing noise, dust and water spillage - and for the Kerio Valley community, with the supply of fresh water, road maintenance program and extensive tree-planting exercises with all of the aforementioned officially certified by the National Environment Agency (NEMA).
2016
As a result of poor global commodity prices and excessive stock, the company was forced to terminate operations and retrench all production staff totalling approximately 260 people, retaining only necessary staff to oversee critical functions. Although ceasing production, the company continued to support the community by funding the school and medical facilities until lease expiry.
The Company continued to support its educational and medical activities for the benefit of the community and retrenched employees were extended special benefits to retain access to these facilities.
2018
A severe market downturn early in 2016 forced Kenya Fluorspar to cease all operations and the Company’s presence in the Kerio Valley was terminated on lease expiry end March 2018, but it continued to support the community through various charitable and donor organisations.
A formal external NEMA exit audit report was compiled and submitted to the Ministry on exit.
All active Mining sites were enclosed and fenced off as agreed with the Ministry of Mining to protect ore bodies for a future investor.
Even after the Company’s lease terminated on March 31 2018, the Company continued to sponsor its primary school to the end of the year 2018 at a cost of ~USD 100,000, to assist with the transition of the facility to the Kenyan government.
Our Partners and Donor Organizations
We continue to take an interest in the wellbeing of the broader local population within Kenya and lend our support through various partner charity/donor organizations, such as The KenSap Project, the KEY Initiative and The Do Right Programme.
