Rwanda’s minerals of wolframite (tungsten) will soon be used in the manufacturing of smart phones from Netherland’s based industry (Fairphone) according to a tweet by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources.
It was also said last week by a delegation of Fairphone employees industry who visited Rwanda’s wolframite (tungsten) mines.
Their visit to Rwanda was meant to evaluate the development of mining sector and make sure that exported minerals from Rwanda have no relation with conflict minerals in the Great Lakes Region.
They visited New Bugarama Mining Company and realized that it is certified by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
Since 2014 when Fairphone industry started working with Steffen Schmidt, they have been negotiating to start buying Wolframite (tungsten) from Rwanda.
The statement released by Fairphone indicates that Fairphone is about to start buying Rwanda’s minerals, “Only few things are remaining to start buying tungsten extracted from New Bugarama Mining be used in the engine which enables Fairphone to vibrate,” reads part of the statement.
The statement adds that Fairphone will develop a collaboration with Rwanda to remove barriers facing mines where tungsten is extracted.
This is expected to be a solution to wolframite (tungsten) minerals from which MINIRENA says the country earned USD 149,000,000 in 2015.
Today, China provides 98% of tungsten used across the World. Fairphone is a company manufacturing smart phones having its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherland.
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