On 31st December 2024, Base Titanium formally shut down its active mining operations in Kenya with a grand Water Gun Salute - an incredible curtain close to a decade of sustainable mining in Kenya. As I viewed the shared photos of the beautiful water arcs created by the very familiar mining guns, I ended up getting so emotional not just because it was my former workplace for about 500 days, but because it had become a home, a training ground and a place where despite great challenges, my dreams as a young mining engineer had become a reality.

I still remember walking through Base Titanium's gates on 17th July 2023, overwhelmed with excitement. For some, this would have been an ordinary day, but for me, it wasn't! It was the beginning of a journey I had long prayed and yearned for. My desire to work with Base Titanium began years earlier when I joined the School of Mines, at Taita Taveta University, where Eng. Arthur Ndegwa, our visionary lecturer, would speak passionately about this mining company. Through every lecture, he painted vivid pictures of its sustainable and innovative mining practices, and the way it had redefined Kenya’s mining sector. Honestly, which mining engineer wouldn't want to be part of such a project?

For years, while in campus, I kept applying—internships, graduate trainee programs, you name it. But as they say, God’s timing is perfect. When the opportunity finally came, it was just the right one.

My time at Base Titanium was nothing short of an exhilarating adventure. From the start, our mining manager and superintendent (who I really hold in high regard) thrust us into a world of steep learning curves and exhilarating challenges. I learnt a lot—on behaviour and operation of both water and slurry pumps, differentiation and application of the different sizes of pipes, bolts & nuts, and valves, manipulation of ground levels to achieve production goals, mine planning and ore grade blending to achieve production targets, efficiently coordinating heavy equipment and their operators and so much more.

But it wasn’t just about the technical skills gained; it was about the people. Interacting with individuals of all calibres taught me the power of teamwork and mutual respect. The synergy among the different departments on and off-site was unlike anything I’d experienced before—mechanical, maintenance, electrical, fluid mechanics, project planning, safety, machine operators, IT, Finance, transport, hospitality—all united under the banner of One Team, One Dream!

I’ll never forget one chaotic Saturday morning that tested everything I had learnt both in school and on the field. I was holding fort for a shift supervisor who was away on that day, and our unit's Run-of-Mine (ROM) Pump decided to fail. This failure led to the catchment area flooding, halting mining operations, and any attempts to resuscitate the pump were futile. To make matters worse, it was a Saturday, meaning fewer staff, and our superintendent wasn’t around. The senior supervisor was also tied up with other errands but kept tabs on phone. To say things were spiraling out of control would be an understatement. Therefore, I had to figure things out, and fast!

But then in came Base Titanium’s spectacular synergy. A quick call to the maintenance department's supervisor saved the day. His team arrived very fast, identified the problem within minutes, resolved it, and within no time, the pump was up and running. This one situation and many others thereafter enabled me to understand the power of teamwork—not just as a buzzword, but as the lifeline of any successful mining operation.

But if there’s one thing that stood out above all, it’s the safety culture at Base Titanium. Safety wasn’t just a guideline; it was the lifeblood of each operation! Basically, SAFETY was the BASE Way as we normally said it. This value was top of the priority list in every task, be it big or small. I was empowered to identify hazards and eliminate them at all costs, a practice that still influences how I approach life today wherever I am. Additionally, it wasn’t just about MY safety but THE TEAM'S safety. We always said that at the end of the day, the miner's life was the most important thing coming out of the mine, not the mineral.

So, when I saw the photos of the End-of-a-Decade Water Gun Salute, it wasn’t just nostalgia; it was gratitude. My heart was filled with gratitude because it was here that I learnt to effectively work in and lead a team, adapt, and thrive under crazy field conditions. And it was here that I grew—not just as a mining engineer but as a human being. I just didn't get work experience at Base; but in-built resilience, patience, and great friends to last me a lifetime!

Therefore, though the mine life has come to an end, its impact will live on through generations—in the skills we were empowered with, the values inculcated in us, and the memories we shared that we will forever cherish!