The Kenyan rare earth is mainly Norbium, which is quite rare and only mined in Brazil-90% and Canada-10%.

http://www.businessinsid...places-on-earth-2010-12

Kenya needs to train a group of engineers on how to extract Nobium. This will take 5 to 10 years.
During this period, a negtiation with a multi national, whereby Kenya still retains over 51% of profits, not the paltry 3%.

If the Kenyan govt cant find investoers willing to part with 51%, the most ideal situation is to develop national infrastructure capable of mining this eg Numerical Machine complex, UoN, JKUCAT etc instead of giving the reources out for nearly free as in the case.

The Botswana situation whereby De Beers is in charge of marketing, extraction etc is a very raw deal since Botswana Govt only accounts for what De Beers tells them that this is the value of the extraction.

The North African countries developed between 1970 and 2011 when they nationalised oil production. After the Arab spring, the North Africans will go back to the poverty levels of the 1960s and join the rest of Africa poverty levels. Between 1970 to 2010 2011, the poverty levels were below 25% of population. Now it will rise to the Sub Saharan average of 50 to 90% of population.
Nationalizing minerals is the proven, time tested way to go to reduce poverty in Africa.

@A4arc, well said. The Gaddafi example could as well suffice, but for our so called "educated elite" and the avaricious political class.... we cannot take such BOLD moves.

China produces a different type


http://www.forbes.com/si...tranglehold-on-america/

Ours is niobium.

Its mined in Canada and Brazil

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niobium

@murchr..the ideal negotiation is whereby the tax, royalties, license fees, infrastructure fees or any other considerations paid by the foreign company to Kenya amount to at least 51%.

Nema gives rare earths miner licence terms


The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has given the firm 30 days to confirm that it would comply with a raft of conditions before it is granted a basic licence for the Sh12.8 billion plant.

“The proponent shall legally acquire the proposed piece of land at Mwabovo near Mrima Hills and ensure that all the land owners are adequately compensated before implementation of the project,” Nema director for compliance and enforcement Michael Langwen said in a letter dated July 8.

If the firm confirms it will abide by the 40 conditions, which include installing a waste water treatment facility, it would be issued with an environmental impact assessment licence. Without the licence any developments on the site would be illegal.

“This licence that will be valid for 24 months shall not be taken as statutory defence against charges of environmental degradation or pollution,” Mr Langwen said.

Compensation, health, and environmental concerns inform most of the conditions that will require the firm to have adequate resources - personnel and capital - to comply with.