Rwanda, Rio Tinto Ltd sign MoU for exploration and mining of lithium

Rio Tinto Minerals Development Limited is part of Rio Tinto, a leading global mining and materials company, which operates in 35 countries.

Commenting on the development, Yamina Karitanyi, CEO of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board revealed that the entry of Rio Tinto marks Rwanda’s resolve to further unlock the potential of the country’s mining sector.

“This development is part of our continued efforts to boost and modernize Rwanda’s mining sector with application of the highest ESG standards,” she noted.

Lawrence Dechambenoit, Global Head of External Affairs expressed delight for the partnership with the Government of Rwanda, and pledged to apply the company’s global experience ‘to accelerate the search for primary lithium deposits in Rwanda’s Western Province’.

Rio Tinto Group is a British-Australian multinational corporation, holding the position of the world’s second-largest metals and mining company.

Its inception dates back to 1873 when a consortium of investors acquired a mining complex along the Rio Tinto river in Huelva, Spain, from the Spanish government.