VOA慢速英语:Mining Company Cortec Confirms Rare Minerals In Coastal Kenya

Recent discoveries of mineral wealth in Kenya could help add to east Africa's biggest economy. The government also is taking steps to improve the openness of the mining industry. But some citizens are concerned that new mining projects will damage local communities.
最近在肯尼亚发现的矿产财富可促进东非这一最大经济体的发展，政府也在采取措施改善矿产业的开放程度。但一些市民担心，新的采矿项目会伤害当地社区。

Mining companies say, the mineral resources could be worth billions of dollar. Local communities say, they hope this will help their economies. And the government has warned companies about making announcements about new resources before they are confirmed.
矿产公司称这些矿产财富价值数十亿美元，当地社区称希望这将促进本国经济的发展。政府也就各公司在他们确认前公布这一新矿产资源提出了警告。

Kenya's Secretary of Mining Najib Balala says the government will ask mining companies for details about their findings before making them public.
肯尼亚矿业部长Najib Balala称，政府要求矿业公司在公开信息前提交有关发现的详细资料。

"Any public announcements by a mining company, we as a government needs to have that notification 21 days before their announcements."
“对于矿业公司做出的任何公开声明，我们作为政府必须在声明做出21天前得到有关消息。”

The discoveries also could upset some communities where big mining projects are planed. One example is the recent discoveries of rare minerals in the Mrima Hills in the coast area of kwale. The mining company Cortec reported finding a deposit of more than 600 kilograms of Niobium. The element is used in making steel and metal mixtures called superconducting alloys that allow electric currents  to travel very easily.
这些发现可能会令一些社区不安，这些社区已有大型矿业项目在计划中。一个例子就是最近在沿海地区夸莱Mrima山发现的稀有矿产。矿业公司Cortec报告称发现了绵延600公里的铌矿床。这种元素被用来制造钢铁和名为超导合金的金属混合物，这种合金能使电流传播更快。

Cortec says the discovery could be worth 50 billion dollars. But a dispute has begun between the company, the government and the local communities. Leaders of the Mijikenda ethnic group which lives near Kenya's coast, say they practise their religion in the Mrima Hills.
Cortec公司称，该发现可能价值500亿美元。但该公司、政府和当地社区之间发生了纠纷。住在肯尼亚沿海附近的米吉肯达族的领导人表示，他们在Mrima山进行宗教活动。

Joseph Morando is an official of the kaya people who are part of the local ethnic group. He says his people are oppose to mineral mining in the Mrima forest and in the area. He says they are appealing to the government to save the area which is an important part of their history. The area also is listed as a world heritage site by the United Nations cultural agency or UNESCO.
Joseph Morando是当地少数民族kaya人的一名官员，他说本族人反对在Mrima森林和该地区开设矿场。他说他们向政府请愿，希望拯救属于他们历史中重要部分的这片地区，该地区也被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产名录。

The Kenya government has not announced how payments it receives from mining companies called royalties would be used. Mining Secretary Najib Balala is expected to present legislation, proposing that the central government take 70% of mining royalty, local government would receive 25% and local communities would receive 5%.
肯尼亚政府尚未公布如何使用从矿业公司收缴的特许使用费。矿业部长Najib Balala有望提出立法，建议中央政府拿走70%的采矿特许使用费，当地政府获得25%，当地社区获得5%。

The government says it hopes that reforms in the mining industry will improve openness. Mr Balala says that Kenya canceled 31 mining licences during the first half of this year, because of concerns over the process for receiving a licence to mine.
政府称希望矿业改革将改善促进开放，Balala先生说因为担心获得开矿执照的程序，肯尼亚在今年上半年取消了31个矿业执照。