This month, people in the African nation of Kenya need our help to stop a titanium mine that could destroy forests, coral reefs , and the homes and livelihoods of 6,000 indigenous people. Kenya's coast along the Indian Ocean is a tropical paradise with palm trees, mangroves , blue lagoons and a magnificent coral reef. Some of the forests, called kayas, are sacred to the indigenous Digo and Kamba peoples. Now a Canadian mining company, Tiomin Resources Inc. , wants to mine titanium along Kenya's coast.
Titanium is used to make a white pigment for paint, plastic and paper.
To get the titanium, Tiomin will strip-mine a huge area in Kwale District where 6,000 indigenous people live. Tiomin will destroy all the homes, schools and vegetation. All the people will have to leave their homes and farms for 20 years while Tiomin operates the mine. Tiomin plans to pay each family only about seven US cents per day for the loss of their homes and farms. Scientists from Kenyatta University and the Kenya Wildlife Services studied Tiomin's mining plans.