In Kenya, plans are under way to address black market dealings and illegal mining – and its impact on the country’s economy – through the construction of a gold refinery in the East African nation’s western town of Kakamega. The mine is expected to boost earnings by small-scale miners.
According to a Bloomberg report, the Kenyan Ministry of Petroleum and Mining hopes the project will ‘improve the livelihoods of the beneficiary community, regional economy and that of Kenya as a whole, and [lead to] direct and indirect jobs for wealth creation through refining of gold to international standards’.
Illegal artisanal mining has hampered the country’s economic growth, job market and reputation. In 2017, government revenue from mining and mineral operations stood at just US$16.5 million, prompting Dan Kazungu – who at the time was Minister of Mining – to set a target of the sector’s revenue accounting for 10% of GDP by 2030. Plans to do so include attracting foreign investment, developing a mining services industry, and registering the country’s informal miners.
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