US, Chinese Bidders Vie For Kenya’s Sacred Rare Earths Site

Mrima Hill, a sacred Kenyan forest near the Indian Ocean coast, has become a contested minerals site as US-led and Chinese bidders pursue rights to develop its rare earths and niobium deposits.

What is at stake at Mrima Hill

The site is about 65km (40 miles) southwest of Mombasa, placing it close to Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast.

It is described as sacred and rich in rare earths and niobium, linking a local forest to a wider contest over critical minerals.

Niobium is used to make steel stronger and lighter, making the deposit significant beyond Kenya’s borders.

Rare earths are also central to the rivalry because Washington is seeking to challenge Beijing’s dominance of global rare earth refining.

Why the US and China are involved

US-led and Chinese bidders are competing for the rights to develop the site.

American officials have offered to support Kenya’s development of a domestic critical minerals processing industry.

That offer is tied to Washington’s effort to reduce China’s advantage in global rare earth refining.

The competition around Mrima Hill therefore reflects both the value of the minerals at the site and the broader US-China rivalry over critical mineral supply chains.

Kenya’s role in the minerals push

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Kenyan President William Ruto on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last week.

They discussed how Kenya’s critical minerals resources could “position the country as a key player in the sector while presenting opportunities for US firms to provide value addition”.

For Kenya, the discussion centred not only on minerals extraction but also on possible domestic processing and value addition.

Source: South China Morning Post