Kenya Fluorspar Company

Kenya Fluorspar Company (KFC) is a privately held mining company in Kenya. It is located near Eldoret in Elgeyo-Marakwet County of western Kenya, in the Kerio Valley, known for its significant fluorite deposits, first discovered in 1967. Fluorspar is the second most important mining commodity in Kenya after soda ash. From fluorspar the company produces fluorites, which are a key component in the manufacture of some industrial commodities, including steel, hydrofluoric acid and opalescent glass.

The company began producing fluorites in the early 1970s and its Kimwarer mine has been in operation since. In 1996, businessman Charles Field-Marsham acquired Kenya Fluorspar as part of a government reform effort of corporate privatization.

The mining takes place on land leased to the company by the Government of Kenya. The land was acquired in 1986 through a compulsory purchase order and compensation paid by the government.

In 2005, production was valued at $14 million. most of its production is exported. Much of its product is exported to India and Europe.

KFC's mining operations were halted in 2009 due to economic downturn, but were continued in June 2010.

In February 2016, the company announced that it would halt operations again siting weak global fluorspar demands. In June, the company had halted its operations and laid off workers. The TV channel KTN aired a documentary highlighting the plight of the residents of the area and some of the workers who used to work for the company, and assessed the impact of the halt to the economy of Kenya.

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