Nairobi, Feb. 25 -- A Chinese firm is planning to set up a Sh2 billion copper mining plant at Mtito Andei in Makueni County, marking the latest wave of foreign-backed projects targeting Kenya's emerging mining sector.

The move comes amid a rally in copper prices to a high of $12,986 (Sh1.7 million) per tonne in January 2026 driven by stockpiling amid global tariff wars and expansion of energy production, artificial intelligence and electrical mobility in which the commodity plays an essential role.

The Makueni project, linked to Shaanxi Africa Mining Company, will process copper ore extracted from deposits in the Ngiluni Settlement Scheme near Kamunyu Village, according to an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report file...