The Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, has launched a tendering process for a mining investor to commercially exploit the mineral-rich Mrima Hill in Kwale County.
The site, known for its deposits of niobium and rare earth elements, has previously attracted interest from global powers including the United States and China.
In a gazette notice dated March 24, Mining CS Ali Hassan Joho invited companies with experience in specialty mineral exploration to submit expressions of interest to commercialize the deposits, which are considered strategic for both industrial and technological applications.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 14 (1) and 223 (2) (e) of the Mining Act, Cap 306 and 2017 Regulations; award of mineral rights by tender, the Government of Kenya is inviting expressions of interest (EOI) from suitably qualified mining operators to commercialize the Mrima Hill mineral deposits,” read the notice in part.
Govt Invites EOI for Mrima Hill Niobium and Rare Earth Mining Project in Kwale
CS Joho stated that the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs has classified several minerals as strategic, with niobium and rare-earth elements (REE) taking centre stage.
Rare Earth Elements are critical to modern high-strength magnets and constitute vital inputs for a growing range of mass consumer electronics and military high-precision applications.
Niobium-based alloys are exceptional at meeting the challenges posed by fire resistance and seismic requirements in modern artistic construction.
CS Joho said the government plans to award mineral rights through a public tender, in line with the Mining Act (Cap 306) and the Mining (Award of Mineral Rights by Tender) Regulations, 2017.
Successful bidders granted a Mineral Right (Prospecting Licence) will be required to fully comply with the Mining Act and its regulations.
When Rare Minerals Worth Billions Were Discovered
The Mrima Hill Niobium and Rare Earth prospect was discovered by the Kenyan Mines and Geological Department in the 1930s.
A joint collaboration with Anglo American Corporation in the 1950s carried out a significant exploration campaign, including over 9,000 meters of test shafts and more than 3,000 meters of drilling. This exploration helped in characterizing the deposit.
The Government has confirmed the presence of five elements—niobium, yttrium, thorium, strontium, and lanthanum— discovered through a recent geological mapping exercise conducted in 2022.
However, according to Joho, the Government has not prepared an economic viability report for the prospect.
“The Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs recently completed a nationwide airborne geophysical survey and now has the latest radiometric and magnetic data over the project area,” the notice read further.
“This data and the resulting grids serve as primary geophysical information for the winning bidder to conduct detailed exploration in the area.”
In 2013, Cortec Mining Kenya, a subsidiary of UK- and Canada-based Pacific Wildcat Resources, estimated the deposits to be worth US$62.4 billion, including large quantities of niobium
Mrima Hill is accessible via the Mombasa-Lunga Lunga Highway, with terrain including the Coastal Uplands and Foot Plateau.
Also Read: Little-Known Details of Kenya’s Multibillion Mrima Hill US and China Are Scrambling For
Rules for Bidding on Kenya’s Niobium and Rare Earths Projects
Interested companies will need to demonstrate extensive experience in global mineral exploration and a strong financial capacity to support detailed exploration and mine development.
Prospective investors must also show they have a skilled technical team and an experienced management team with a proven track record of successfully executing similar projects.
Companies are expected to maintain a robust corporate governance framework and possess expertise in both underground and surface rock engineering.
Applicants must demonstrate prior experience executing projects in fragile ecosystems and the able to design, commission, and operate on-site processing and beneficiation plants the process minerals locally, and contribute to global supply chains.
The government also requires firms to commit to sustainability, including the use of green and renewable energy, and to implement environmental interventions such as land rehabilitation and water management.
Engagement with local communities to ensure shared social and economic benefits is mandatory.
Additionally, companies must have a clear understanding of Kenyan laws on free carry interest, FCI, and state involvement in strategic minerals, and membership in regional or global organizations that promote equitable and responsible mining will be considered an advantage.
Bidders are expected to fully acquaint themselves with the conditions, requirements, and specifications of this EOI before submitting responses.
Each bidder assumes all risks for resource commitment and expenses, direct or indirect, of EOI preparation and participation throughout the EOI process.
An omission to disclose material information, a factual inaccuracy, and/or a misrepresentation of fact may result in the disqualification of a response, or cancellation of any subsequent award.
By submission of the EOI, Companies shall be deemed to have satisfied themselves with, and to have accepted all Terms & Conditions of this EOI.
Also Read: 10 Rare Minerals Donald Trump Is Targeting in Greenland
How to Bid
Applicants can get more information from the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, State Department for Mining at the address below during official working hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
One (1) original and five (5) copies of the completed bid document and accompanying documents must be submitted in plain, sealed envelopes to the address below by 5 p.m. on 17th April, 2026, East Africa Time.
The envelopes should be marked Expression of Interest for the Mrima Hill Niobium, Rare Earth Elements, and Other Minerals Development Project within Kwale County, Kenya, and be submitted in the Tender Box on the Second Floor of the address below, or the Office of the Director, Supply Chain Management on the same floor.
Scramble for Mrima
Valued at about $62.4 billion (Ksh 8 trillion), the hill has attracted global powers including the U.S and China.
American officials visited the site in 2025 and 2026 as Washington strategizes to curtail China’s dominance in rare-earth processing. The U.S. is pushing for a value-driven model that will enable Kenya to develop processing facilities.
On the other hand, Beijing is known for the ‘extract and ship’ model, which is seen by the West as exploitative.
Beijing controls about 90 percent of global rare earth refining, with China heavily involved in Kenya’s infrastructure projects.
