Rwanda’s export earnings from minerals are projected to reach $600 million this fiscal year, from $399 million in 2017/18, according to RMB, with a projection to earn $800 million in 2020 and $1.5 billion in 2024.
With most of the Rwandan mining being artisanal, poor mining and washing techniques, have seen most companies using ground washing where they recover less than 50 percent.
According to RMB, among the challenges facing Rwanda’s mining industry is exporting unprocessed minerals at low prices.
Dr. Emmanuel Munyangabe, Chief Operations Officer at RMB, says seven years from now, Rwanda will be able to fully process its minerals before exporting.
“According to our plan, it may take seven years from now when Rwanda will be able to export fully processed minerals,” he said.
Rwandan rocks are endowed with coltan, gemstones, granite, cassiterite, wolfram among other minerals.
The first Rwandan mineral processing factory was founded in 1983, processing cassiterite. Having stopped processing for some time, investors are rebuilding it to start refining and processing minerals by the end of this year.
Dr, Munyengabe said RMB has projects to process coltan in the factory based in Bugesera District. The institution is also looking for investors who would work to process the gemstones and other minerals.
“We want to be processing all minerals in Rwanda. We will be exporting only fully processed minerals to the international market,” he said.
Currently, Rwanda can extract and wash minerals.
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