Today, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Uzziel Ndagijimana, on behalf of President Paul Kagame officially launched Trinity Metals, a merger of three mining companies that deal in Tin, Tantalite, Tungsten and Lithium exploration.
Trinity Metals is a USD 30 million merger of Rutongo Mines Ltd, Eurotrade International Ltd and Piran Rwanda Ltd, which now employs more than 5000 and contributes to the government plan of increasing off farm jobs.
“Despite its position as second earner of exports receipt, our mining sector is very far from reaching its potential. Last year, 2022, excluding gold, recorded mineral exports amounted to only a little more than 200 million dollars”, Minister Uzziel Ndagijimana said as he delivered his speech.
To realize the potential of the mining sector, Minister Uzziel Ndagijimana called for use of technology to increase productivity in extraction; thinking about staff and environment as an asset and care about safety and sustainability and invest in beneficiation before exporting.
“It’s Rwanda’s transformation over time, the hope that you offer as a nation- to the continent and beyond. We are mere catalysts to the process, but we do it together-Kuzuzanya-to be better, to improve as individuals as communities”- Shawn McCormick, Chairman of Trinity_Metals Group, said in his remarks.
“In the next 5 years, we are investing into further expanding our mines, introducing new equipment and upskilling our workers. We are mindful of our workers’ safety and emphasize best safety protocols and environmental systems to ensure that our people and the environment are not hurt”, the Chairman of Trinity Metals Group added.
The mining sector is the country’s second-largest export revenue earner after tourism, and Rwanda’s ambition to boost it lies in local mineral value addition. (End)