Chinese mining firm Fenxi plans to invest at least $500 million for coal production in Kenya, after obtaining approval from the government. The Chinese firm has formed a joint venture with locally owned Great Lakes Corp. to form Fenxi Mui Mining Corp., and estimates 2016 as the earliest date that mining of coal could start. The concession agreement for coal exploration area C and D in Mui Basin, eastern Kenya, was signed during December 2013 with the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Mining, National Treasury and Kitui County Government, among others. The ministry of energy said that two areas in Kitui county, about 180 km away from Nairobi, have potential for 400 million metric tons of coal for power generation among other uses.

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