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From VOA Learning English, |
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this is the Economics Report. |
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Recent discoveries of mineral wealth in Kenya |
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could help add to east Africa's biggest economy. |
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The government also is taking steps |
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to improve the openness of the mining industry. |
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But some citizens are concerned |
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that new mining projects will damage local communities. |
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Mining companies say, the mineral resources |
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could be worth billions of dollar. |
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Local communities say, |
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they hope this will help their economies. |
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And the government has warned companies |
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about making announcements |
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about new resources before they are confirmed. |
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Kenya's Secretary of Mining Najib Balala says |
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the government will ask mining companies for details |
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about their findings before making them public. |
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"Any public announcements by a mining company, |
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we as a government needs to have that notification |
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21 days before their announcements." |
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The discoveries also could upset some communities |
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where big mining projects are planed. |
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One example is the recent discovery of rare minerals |
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in the Mrima Hills in the coast area of kwale. |
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The mining company Cortec reported finding a deposit of |
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more than 600 kilograms of Niobium. |
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The element is used in making steel |
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and metal mixtures called superconducting alloys |
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that allow electric currents to travel very easily. |
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Cortec says the discovery could be worth 50 billion dollars. |
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But a dispute has begun between the company, |
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the government and the local communities. |
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Leaders of the Mijikenda ethnic group which lives near Kenya's coast, |
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say they practise their religion in the Mrima Hills. |
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Joseph Morando is an official of the kaya people |
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who are part of the local ethnic group. |
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He says his people are oppose to mineral mining |
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in the Mrima forest and in the area. |
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He says they are appealing to the government to save the area |
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which is an important part of their history. |
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The area also is listed as a world heritage site |
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by the United Nations cultural agency or UNESCO. |
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The Kenya government has not announced how payments it receives |
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from mining companies called royalties would be used. |
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Mining Secretary Najib Balala is expected to present legislation, |
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proposing that the central government take 70% of mining royalty, |
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local government would receive 25% |
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and local communities would receive 5%. |
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The government says it hopes that reforms |
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in the mining industry will improve openness. |
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Mr Balala says that Kenya canceled 31 mining licences |
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during the first half of this year, |
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because of concerns over the process for receiving a licence to mine. |
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That's this week's Economics Report from VOA Learning English. |