After 3.55bln Uganda's EACOP pipeline, comes a $3bln Fertilizer plant

[kirk git]

ippmedia.com/en/news/tanzaniagears-benefit-graphite-mineral-boom

April 23, 2018
23Apr 2018

The Guardian Reporter

News
The Guardian

Tanzania gears up to benefit from graphite mineral boom

• Officials say the earmarked area in Morogoro region has estimated deposits of about 69.9 million tonnes, which could bring in over 200bn/- in royalties

A 500-TONNE graphite sample from Ulanga district in Morogoro region has been shipped off to Canada for further laboratory tests before the commencement of grand exploration operations for the mineral in the area.

Officials say the area has an estimated graphite deposit of about 69.9 million tonnes, which could bring in over 200 billion/- in royalties to the government annually.

It is also understood that the Australian-based Black Rock mining company has pledged to build a giant graphite mining plant in Ulanga district under the Mahenge Graphite Project.

According to Eastern Zone mineral officer Theresia Ntuke, the Australian firm funded transport for the 500-tonne bulk sample from Ifakara in Ulanga district to the port of Dar es Salaam over the weekend, ready for onward shipping to SGS’s Lakefield Lab in Canada for a second pilot test in August and September this year.

Ntuke said once full mining operations begin in the area, Black Rock will be looking to produce an average of 80,000 tonnes of graphite per year, enabling Tanzania to get $100 million per annum in royalties and different taxes.

The project will employ at least 150 Tanzanians once the plant becomes fully operational, and many more will be employed “indirectly in the value chain,” she added.

She also said the project is expected to become a key to the social-economic development of communities living in Ulanga and neighbouring Kilombero district.

The Mahenge project is estimated as the fourth largest contained graphite resource in the world.

According to Black Rock chief executive officer John de Vries, the large flake size and high purity of Mahenge graphite tested todate suggests that it can be applied to the premium battery market as well as traditional applications.

The non-metallic mineral is considered a high-demand item due to technological advancements in the world, its other applications ranging from the manufacturing of pencils to automobiles, mobile phones to electric cars.

De Vries said the initial testing produced a premium-sized product of 97.5 percent carbon from a three-stage flotation cleaning circuit, with a small amount of polishing.

He said SGS processed a 90-tonne sample from Mahenge and produced 10 tonnes of concentrate that Black Rock is distributing to potential global customers and partners.

SGS will use the sample in transit for a second pilot to optimize operating parameters of Black Rock’s proposed processing method for Mahenge and continue its product qualification for potential off-take partners, he added.

Black Rock has also submitted a draft Environmental and Social Impact Statement for Mahenge and commenced development of a resettlement policy framework for residents around the project area.

The global graphite market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.

Top Stories

Tanzania needs to set up a sovereign fund just like the Norwegians.

Like Canada and the United States, Norway has a very lucrative oil and gas industry. But unlike those two countries, Norway did not use its resource wealth to pay for hefty tax cuts or social programs. Instead, the Scandinavian country squirrelled its money away in a sovereign wealth fund for future generations. And today -- less than 25 years since its inception -- that nest egg has grown into the world's most valuable sovereign wealth fund, worth almost $850 billion.

It is the envy of the world.

Meanwhile, the Alberta Heritage Fund, which is 14 years older, is worth about $17 billion; the Alaska Permanent Fund sits at $50 billion; neither of them chump change, but a tiny fraction of the wealth Norway has amassed.

And perhaps most remarkable of all, much of the credit for Norway's phenomenal success with its oil fund, belongs to a geologist from Iraq, although he is loathe to take too much of the credit.

It was 1968, and Farouk al Kasim was struggling with an important decision that would change his life, and that of his young family. What he didn't know at the time was that it would have such a profound impact on Norway's future as well.

Farouk al-Kasim spoke to Michael Enright from a radio studio in Stavanger, Norway.

Farouk al Kasim: the man behind Norway's oil wealth | CBC Radio

 

[Geza Ulole]

View attachment 754197 View attachment 754200
Toyota Tsusho to Open the First Full-Scale Fertilizer Plant in Kenya-Improving agricultural productivity to achieve stable food supply-

Local fertiliser available in December
Tuesday September 12 2017

Farmers in Kenya receive subsidised fertiliser. PHOTO FILE | NMG

In Summary

• Kenya is expected to have its first fertiliser manufacturing plant in the central Rift Valley town of Nakuru, 150km west of Nairobi, by the end of the year.
• Over the years, imported fertiliser has proved to be unsuitable for the soil type or crops, leading to acidification of the soil and reduced harvests.
• Food security has been elusive in most African countries due to the high costs of fertiliser and seeds, compounded by post-harvest losses.

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By KENNEDY SENELWA
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Kenya is expected to have its first fertiliser manufacturing plant in the central Rift Valley town of Nakuru, 150km west of Nairobi, by the end of the year.

The plant will supply 100,000 tonnes of fertiliser to the regional market annually.

The plant, being constructed by Fertiplant East Africa Ltd with a $10 million loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is expected to produce various fertiliser combinations by mid December.

Construction started in July 2015. The actual construction will cost an estimated $6 million according to Fertiplant executive director Titus Gitau.

The plant fabrication is being done by Fertiplant Engineering Co. India Ltd with the assistance of Fertiplant East Africa in the installation and commissioning.

When complete, Fertiplant will compete with Tanzania’s Minjingu Mines & Fertiliser Ltd and ARM Cement, and will supply to farmers in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia.

READ: Tanzania spells out pricing guidelines for fertilisers

Operations

Mr Gitau said Fertiplant East Africa will import raw material from Tanzania, Morocco, South Africa, Jordan, Russia, India and China to produce a combination of fertilisers.

“The Nakuru plant will supply locally produced fertiliser at affordable prices, help farmers improve crop yields and their incomes. Better productivity of staple food crops will also be critical to food security in the region,” he said.

“It is our hope that by using tailor made fertilisers and other modern practices like mechanisation and seed development, farmers will boost their crop yields to close the gap between actual and attainable yields,” added Mr Gitau.

IFC’s vice president for Development Economics, Hans Lankes, said investment in Fertiplant is part of the World Bank’s strategy to promote and develop East Africa’s agricultural sector’s competitiveness and to increase food security.

Over 65 per cent of East Africa’s population depends on both commercial and subsistence agriculture for employment, with over 80 per cent of the food being produced by farmers with less than two hectares of land.

However most farmers have limited access to high quality fertiliser due to high import costs.

Reduced harvests

Over the years, imported fertiliser has proved to be unsuitable for the soil type or crops, leading to acidification of the soil and reduced harvests.

Food security has been elusive in most African countries due to the high costs of fertiliser and seeds, compounded by post-harvest losses. General fertiliser application rates in sub-Saharan Africa are lower than global averages, at as low as 10 per cent, leading to low crop yields.

Kenya spends $300 million annually to import about 600,000 tonnes of fertiliser sold at a subsidised price of about $16 to farmers compared with the market rate of $35.

Already in operation, the Toyota Tsusho Fertiliser Africa Ltd’s $15 million worth blending plant in Eldoret town near Nakuru which was completed in July 2016 produces fertiliser under the Baraka brand in 10 kilogram, 25kg and 50kg packaging.

The company plans to enhance fertiliser sales by leveraging on automobile sales network established Toyota Tsusho Corporation over the years in Kenya and other countries in East Africa.

Currently a 50kg bag of MEA fertiliser retails for $30 and a 50kg bag of Mavuno brand of ARM Cement averages $22 depending on retail outlet’s location. Baraka retails for $28-$30 depending on quantities bought.

 

[majeshi 1981]

Kuna hili pia sipati picha miradi kama hii ikitokea Kenya kelele zitakazopigwa humu.

Chinese firm pledges to increase investment
China’s Sinoma and Hengya Cement (T) Limited has pledged to construct 13 more factories in Tanga Region.

Martine Shigela
BY Burhani Yakub @ThecitizenTz news@tz.nationmedia.com



IN SUMMARY

Apart from the proposed $3 billion (Sh6.7 trillion) cement plant, other projects will be in fields such as electricity and tyres.



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Mkinga. China’s Sinoma and Hengya Cement (T) Limited has pledged to construct 13 more factories in Tanga Region.

Apart from the proposed $3 billion (Sh6.7 trillion) cement plant, other projects will be in fields such as electricity and tyres.

That was said by the chairman of the parent company, Mr Xu Huilong, said on January 19, during his tour of the project site at Mtimbwani and Mongavyeru villages.

He arrived on Thursday in Tanga at around 1 pm and was received by Tanga Regional Commissioner Martine Shigela.

Mr Shigela assured Mr Xu and his delegation of the government commitment to cooperate with the firm to make the project successful.

The firm is set to construct a plant with a capacity of seven million tonnes of cement annually and a power plant that can generate 1,200 megawatts.

The cement project will offer direct and indirect jobs to 4,000-8, 000 people.

Upon the project completion, the government will be collecting revenue of Sh400 billion annually.

Chinese firm pledges to increase investment
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