{Rwanda’s minerals export earnings fell by 18 percent in 2014 due to low international prices for the country’s principle minerals, coltan, wolfram and cassetirite.The percentage represents a decrease in value to $191.3 million collected in 2014 from $226 million in 2013. However, the volume of mineral trade jumped to 8048 tonnes from 7000 in the same years respectively.}
“International consumption of minerals tremendously decreased, not just for Rwandan minerals but for other minerals like gold. That is why our export earnings decreased despite tremendous effort from our sector to increase the quantity of production” Evode Imena, state minister for mining, said at a press conference on Wednesday.
{Our strategy is to add value to our minerals and we are in the process of setting up a standard tin processing unit at Karuruma, Kigali. We also want to look for an iron ore market here in Rwanda for the production of steel. This way, we shall be able to counter price fluctuations in the international market.}
In the wake of nagging mudslides that have killed several miners in some parts of the country, the President of Rwanda Mining Association, Jean Malic Kalima, regretted that such catastrophes are a common occurrence especially in rainy seasons, but urged fellow mining investors to be cautious and provide protective gear to their artisanal miners.
Mining is Rwanda’s largest export earner, with tremendous growth over the last decade from $40 million collected in exports in 2006 to $226 million in 2013.
The sector employed at least 34,000 people in 2013 and the government expects the figure to increase to 60,000 by 2018.
The sector was previously controlled by government but since 2007, it was privatized and now, there are more than 500 licensed companies and cooperatives working in more than 648 sites across the country.
Many of these sites are managed on small-scale basis, while the large mineral concessions are managed by foreign investors.
The Rwandan government targets to collect $400 million from mineral exports by 2017.
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