By our staff reporter
Kenticha Mining plc (KMPLC) is set to generate USD 400 million courtesy of the export of value added energy mineral per single year.
The company which recognized the contribution of stakeholders, in its most recent event held on Tuesday August 15 at the Sheraton Addis, stated that with the coming of its processing equipment, it will kick start the lithium concentrate production from the former tantalum concentrate mine facility located at Kenticha locality, Seba Boru woreda in Guji zone of Oromia region, 600 km south of Addis Ababa.
It can be recalled that with the aim to export value added mineral production, the government had suspended the production and export of tantalum concentrate, a business that was ongoing since the late Derg era.
Following the move, government had been looking for potential private firms that would partner in the production of value added product, mainly lithium. As a result, Kenticha Mining plc which was established by the Oromia regional government, and private investors including Australia based, African Mining and Energy (AME), known for its community based mining approach, finally took on the project.
The company received a large scale mining license in July last year which covered the Kenticha tailings.
According to the company presentation at the recognition and status disclosure event, the tonnage of tailings were estimated at 5.4 metric tons, and the residue of gravity treated material by Ethiopian Mineral, Petroleum & Bio-fuel Corporation for tantalum from the weathered portion of the pegmatite was conducted.
As cited at the event, from December 2022 to January 2023, KMPLC sampled tailing materials at depths of 0.5 to three meters.
So far, two spodumene DMS/ Dense Media Separation/ processing plants have been constructed in South Africa with the first plant having a capacity to process 20 tons per hour, which is to arrive early September. The second plant which is slightly better has 50 tons per hour capacity and will reach Djibouti in October.
According to the company, the third and largest DMS with 200 tons per hour is said to be manufactured and transported to the site in the near future.
The company disclosed that the Kenticha pegmatite is one of the largest pegmatites in the world that it is set up to 100 meters thick, extending over two km.
The ore-body was estimated to contain 87.7 million tons of ore grading at 0.78 percent lithium oxide with appreciable quantities of tantalum and niobium.
As the firm described, it has embarked on a drilling program to upgrade and increase the current mineral resource estimate, “Eventually some 40,000 meters of drilling will be completed at Kenticha to fully unlock the value of the deposit.”
As per the plan, the mining will commence in the second quarter of 2024 in the southern high grade pit at the site, “This strategy will enable KMPLC to accelerate cash flow while continuing to drill out the Kenticha ore body to fully delineate the ore body and capture its full size.”
According to officials, the company civil works have been completed for the arrival of the plants.
As per the plan, 2023 will see the commissioning of the first processing plant and commencement of production.
In the coming year, KMPLC has projected to produce 100,000 tons of lithium concentrate that will generate USD 400 million in 2024 alone. If it attains the projection, it will almost be the same value to what the country generated from the mining sector export in total during its heyday period, about a decade ago.
The company scheduled to generate USD 937 million, USD 1.05 billion and 2.4 billion from the export of 250,000, 300,000 and 800,000 tons of lithium concentrate in the year from 2025 to 2027 respectively.
In the past few years, the company, which proposed to come up with the value additional production in partnership with the regional government, has followed up with the same by undertaking a detailed study to uplift the development with value addition production.
Buyers from more than 12 countries have shown signs of interest for the off take agreement.
The mines present a globally important tantalite source in the Neoproterozoic Adola Belt, Qenticha locality in Seba Boru wereda, Eastern Guji zone, southern Ethiopia.
For three decades, the country has exported the tantalum ore of the mineral, which faced criticism from experts who claimed that it did not fully benefit the country.
AME claimed that it has substantial records alongside major project developments in Africa and has been responsible for originating sponsored projects with more than a billion dollar investment throughout the continent.

The conflict in northern Ethiopia has devastated the northern regions resulting in loss of lives, a massive humanitarian load, widespread displacement, and critical damage to infrastructure, services and the economy. 
UNDP in collaboration with Great Ethiopian Run is supporting recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts in these regions with a broad spectrum of interventions, including economic recovery.
The Rebuild HER Business campaign is designed to support women who are striving to rebuild their businesses. The campaign is seeking to raise $500,000 to support 1000 women with a $500 capital fund in the three regions of Afra, Amhara and Tigray.
All the funds raised in this campaign will be given directly to the women as a capital fund, with all operational costs covered by UNDP and other partners. The targeted women are part of a group receiving psychosocial and other support through UNDP’s Peace Support Programme.

By our staff reporter
Representatives from the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) and Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) visit the implementation of Veggies 4 Planet and People project in Weliso, Oromia region.
The four year project which has been implemented in three parts of the country in Ethiopia through the likes of Weliso, Welmera and Egere starting from 2020, was supervised by the representatives to evaluate the improvements made in the safe production of vegetables.
Veggies 4 Planet and People (V4P&P) which is funded by the IKEA Foundation was set up to improve the income of youth and women through sustainable practices in the vegetable business. The project which received a backing of 6 million Euros over 5 years was established in Ethiopia and Kenya, through a program phase that focuses on helping the women and youth farmers by linking them around big cities such as Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Kisumu.
WorldVeg which has the overall coordination control of the program partnered with SNV to provide cutting-edge regenerative agricultural technologies in terms of integrated pest management, soil management, and water use. Over the phase of the program, these technologies have served to process and extend the shelf life of the vegetables.
In the partnership, SNV’s main task was to fill the gaps in the value chain of the vegetable business networks. In line with this, the project targeted 4000 youth and women in Ethiopia and Kenya with 1600 farmers in Ethiopia, organized into the project name “Vegetable Business Networks” which differ from the usual farmer groups as they consist of input suppliers, traders, processors, and retailers in a single network.
As is well known vegetable production can be a profitable and attractive option for rural people in Kenya and Ethiopia, as it does not require large amounts of land. Research from the WorldVeg has shown that farmers make higher profits from a small plot of 1000 square meters of vegetables than from a similar plot of maize.
Therefore, as seen through the program, this has presented an opportunity for youth and women, who often have limited access to land. Moreover, as reports show, the high unemployment rate among youth in Kenya and Ethiopia highlights the potential for income generation and employment through vegetable production and marketing. To support this, women and youth have been provided training in agricultural technologies, appropriate inputs, and business skills, through the V4P&P initiative.
The V4P&P as an initiative was designed to create income and jobs for women and youth in Kenya and Ethiopia through vegetable business development. The initiative responds to consumer concerns about food safety and residues of synthetic pesticides on vegetables for consumption in cities such as Nairobi, Kisumu and Addis Ababa. It promotes the use of safe alternatives, such as bio pesticides, through integrated pest management to prevent pests and treat diseases in vegetables.
As studies show, Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest consumption of vegetables and fruits compared to other regions in the world, and the consumption is far below the recommended level of 400 grams per day. Vegetables play a crucial role in addressing malnutrition in Africa.
Traditional African vegetables (TAVs) are known to be rich in vitamins and minerals and can address various types of micronutrient deficiencies. The demand for TAVs is increasing as middle-income consumers can afford to buy them and are becoming more aware of their health benefits, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. TAVs can also be grown in ways that are safe for the planet and people. And it is to this end that the initiative was set up to improve environmental and human health through the safe production of vegetables.

Ambo Mineral Water SC graduated 11 women in the production of plastic bags (Zenbil) after training them for two weeks at their Kisosie PET Collection Center under its Zenbil Project.

The Zenbil project is a plastic bag production and sales project. The inputs such as the plastic straps are recycled from plastic wastes and produced as straps in various colors, and sizes and sold by recyclers as plastic strap tapes.

The production process requires serious skills training to teach them how to split, arrange and weave and saw into traditional plastic shopping bag called Zenbil.

The ten days training gave trainees the understanding on how to source plastic straps, segregate and preparing for production, weaving the foundation and attaching handles with variety of colors and combinations. The participants also got key knowledge on the whole value chain, sourcing, selling, engaging local youth and women in the production process, and finance & administration.

It is to be recalled that Ambo Mineral Water S.C established the plastic collection center and trained beneficiary women and adolescents in all aspects of plastic collection, segregation, packing, and delivery to recyclers. It also developed a legal agreement with plastic waste buyers/recyclers, as well as with transporters and others throughout the value chain. Currently Ambo Town is being considered one of the main sources of these plastic bags in the country. The business has about a 100% profit margin to the producers. The addition of plastic bag is meant to increase additional source of income and encourage the collectors to stay and grow in the business.

Women’s economic empowerment is one of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa-Ethiopia’s CSR pillars. Ambo Mineral Water S.C. has been working with its community, Ambo, Kisosie District, to empower its women through a plastic bottle collection scheme since last year.

Given, the positive working relation CCBA is trying to connect them with plastic strap suppliers and with all actors in the plastic recycling industry. This project is worth scaling up and scaling out in various areas of the country.

CCBA particularly provides programs for women’s entrepreneurship and capacity building through various initiatives.

PET bottles collection and recycling program is also one of CCBA-Ethiopia’s economic inclusivity initiatives benefiting women PET collectors in employability and setting up Model PET collection centers across the country.