Kilembe mines

Kilembe mines is copper and cobalt mine found in western region of Uganda in Kilembe a suburb of town of Kasese district in the foothills of the great Rwenzori Mountains. It is approximately 380km (236m) from Kampala the capital city of Uganda. The weather conditions are favourable with its coordinates 0⁰10¹0^”N and 30⁰1¹60^”E degrees minutes seconds or 0.166667 and 30.0333 in decimal degrees. The sun rises at 07:53 and sets at 20:00 (Africa/Kampala UTC/GMT+3).

It was formed in July 1950 by two Canadian mining companies namely Frobisher limited and Ventures limited and they came up with a joint venture named Kilembe mines limited. The objective of this mine was to mine copper from under the Rwenzori Mountains and their offices were in Kampala and the copper smelter was placed in Jinja.

Around 1962 was acquired by Falcon bridge of Africa, who later sold it to the government of Uganda in 1975 during Idi Amin Dada regime who was the president by then. The extraction ceased in 1982 due to the tumble down of equipment’s, high inflation and insecurity.  After thirty years of inactive, an association led by Tibet Hima mining company limited took charge of rehabilitating and operating it for twenty five years from 2013 to 2038.

Kilembe mines is very attractive place to visit because getting to it you cross over abridge on a beautiful river Nyamwaba. It has got old score board used back in the days to honour hardworking employees and disrepair old building which was used as a control room previously occupied with non-functional radio call equipment tangled in cables and wires which was used to charge batteries of head lamps and radio equipment for the underground workers. Impure water containing minerals which flows in trenches and its attractive light green colour.

Hospitality of veterans and current employees who are willing to tour you around the tunnels carefully deeper showing you different metallic pipes which perform different tasks like transporting oxygen for the miners, water and sand for filling holes where copper is being extracted from.

A clear view on uprooted railway line, knowledgeable lessons about bi-products from copper like maize mills, hullers, door steel frames, windows and power generation and even best hotels around for first class accommodation.

Kilembe mines is a better place to tour for both study purposes and for leisure time and according to republic of  Uganda’s vision 2040, I do think that if Kilembe mines is well funded, rehabilitated and managed professionally will be among the key factors to the success of Uganda’s vision 2040.