Base Titanium has completed its final bulk shipment of titanium ore from Mombasa to the U.S., concluding an 11-year tenure in Kenya’s mineral sands industry. The company mined a total of 5,208,000 tons of minerals, significantly contributing to Kenya’s mining sector. While operational activities have ended, Base Titanium holds several prospecting licenses for future exploration, although challenges remain in establishing new mining sites.
Base Titanium has reached a significant milestone, celebrating its final bulk shipment of titanium ore (Rutile) from Mombasa to the United States, marking the end of an 11-year journey in Kenya’s mineral sands sector. The company concluded its mining activities in December 2024 due to depleting resources in the Kwale Mining area.
Since production began in late 2013, Base Titanium has become a crucial player in Kenya’s mining industry, contributing around 65% of the country’s mineral output value. The company is well-known for its high-grade ore, which contains Rutile, Ilmenite, and Zircon, necessary for various industrial uses, including titanium metal and ceramics.
Throughout 11 years of operation, Base Titanium achieved significant production milestones, exporting a total of 5,208,000 tons of minerals: 3,892,000 tons of Ilmenite, 804,000 tons of Rutile, 295,000 tons of Zircon, 93,000 tons of low-grade Zircon, and 124,000 tons of low-grade Rutile. This extensive output was accomplished through the transportation of 186,000 trucks of minerals, showcasing operational scale and efficiency.
During a ceremony at the port facility, Denham Vickers, General Manager of Operations, noted that the first shipment commenced on February 12, 2014, with the last vessel dispatched on February 12, 2025, signifying the cessation of Base Titanium’s operational activities. He stated, “The reason it’s ended is because we don’t have anything left to mine.”
The final bulk vessel, MV Devbulk Sinem, carried 4,200 metric tons of Rutile to the U.S. Vickers expressed pride in the local workforce, emphasizing that the operations were entirely managed by Kenyans without external expertise. He remarked, “It’s been a fantastic effort. It’s totally Kenyan, run by Kenyans, with no experts involved.”
Vickers also mentioned that Base Titanium currently holds five prospecting licenses, with additional sites near Lamu under evaluation. However, he cautioned about the inherent risks, noting that “for every 1,000 Greenfield sites, only one is statistically likely to develop into a successful mining operation.”
Elizabeth Kyalo, Port and Shipping Manager, discussed the logistics of mineral transportation, indicating that most minerals were shipped in bulk, with container shipments ongoing until the end of March. She stated, “Approximately 80 percent of our minerals are shipped in bulk, so this is a significant day for us as it marks our final shipment.”
Base Titanium’s final bulk shipment marks a notable endpoint in its 11-year operational journey, which significantly contributed to the Kenyan mining sector. The company exported over 5 million tons of various minerals while emphasizing the efforts of local teams and the challenges inherent in mining exploration. Looking towards the future, Base Titanium envisions potential opportunities despite the uncertainties of new exploration licenses.
Original Source: www.kenyanews.go.ke
