PRUDENCE Munyanganizi is so enthusiastic about mining.

Last month, five people suffocated in one of the mining sites where he works, but Munyanganizi is not bothered.

Munyanganizi is one of the miners in Burera District’s mining site of Rugarama, exploited under Bugarama mining concessions.

He is one of residents who used to engage in illegal mining activities under the cover of darkness, but have since reformed are now employed with the New Bugarama Mining (NBM) Company.

The tungsten mining company was awarded an operational license in 2009.

"Since 2005, we used to enter mines at night to extract minerals and sell to buyers around. When NBM started operations here, I joined it, but kept on diverting some mineral portions to sell on the black market. I used to sell a kilogramme of tungsten at Rwf4,300, while the company offered Rwf4,000. But I have since stopped,” Munyanganizi says.

The father of two says he has achieved a lot more in the last two years of mining legally than in the eight years of illegal mining.

"Easy come, easy go. I did not accumulate any wealth because I used to spend nights in bars drinking. I knew the next day I would sell more minerals. I was jailed and released several times over illegal mining.  But I am now a reformed person,” he adds.

The 29-year-old mining team leader started a new life two years ago.

"I was subject of ridicule in the whole community due to illegal mining. I was jailed almost every month. But now I hold my head high ...within a year after my conversion, I constructed a residential house, bought plot of land and a cow. I owned no property before, but now I do,” Munyanganizi says.

"Today, I can testify that illegal mining is not a good idea and I encourage those involved to abandon it,” he said.

NBM employs 1,228 people, including 210 females, according to Janvier Ndabananiye, the director of mining operations.

Ndabananiye says the company is winning hearts of the illegal miners and illegal dealers, who have gradually been joining them.

David Niyonsaba, 40, is another former illegal miner who used to steal minerals under the cover of darkness.

He concedes that illegal mining was a risky business.

"We worked in a team. While some entered the mines to extract minerals, others watched over to alert them just in case guards followed us. We faced many threats and often got injured in mining accidents. I survived being hit by rocks on several occasions because we used to extract without doing the necessary preparations for safe extraction,” he says.

Niyonsaba says despite the risks, they were enticed by the higher prices and upfront payments on the black market because the company pays weekly.

"Our safety is now assured. There are some mines in which we walk for an hour, but the compressor sends oxygen there and we extract safely. It is now only a year since I joined this company, but my livelihood has significantly changed,” he said.

"I had no residential house for the entire period I spent in illegal mining. But after joining NBM, I constructed a good house and bought a Friesian cow worth Rwf300,000,” he says.

Innocent Mpiranya, another miner, says he firmly believes in doing legal business because he gained ‘nothing’ after years of toiling for illegal dealers.

"I worked with different companies before joining the black market. I left the mining business and started buying minerals from this company’s workers and other illegal miners around the community. I did not see the proceeds, yet fellow miners in legal business were getting wealthier until I decided to join NBM in 2011,” he says.

"While the company paid Rwf4,000 per kilogramme of tungsten, I offered Rwf5,000 and resold at Rwf5,300. However, I was making losses as I sometimes bought fake minerals. This attitude of illegal mining is changing with trade on black market still done but at a minimal level.”

NBM has been working with Rwanda National Police (RNP) to deter mineral fraud.

But miners say the biggest challenge is still behind some mining companies that have operational licences, but also buy minerals from other mines or illegal dealers.

Evode Imena, the Minister of State in Charge of Mining, in an earlier interview told The New Times that the ministry is working with the Police to block channels of illegal mining activities.

"Some mining companies report mineral theft cases, but they are not many. Minerals are precious and that is the reason some people involve in trading them illegally, but we work with security organs to arrest those illegal traders. We are increasing traceability measures working with regional and international certifiers,” Imena said.

Illegal mining and unauthorised mineral exploration attracts a term of imprisonment of between six months and one year, plus a fine between Rwf3 million and Rwf10 million or one of these penalties on conviction.

Mining changing livelihoods

According to different miners, mining has changed the livelihoods of the community.

In fact, during last year’s International Mining Day, NBM was last year crowned best 2014 operator countrywide in corporate social responsibility.

According to Daniel Noheli, 58, mineral extraction in Bugarama mine started in 1953 and he joined in 1975.

"My father worked in this mine and I joined him at 18.  Before 2009, we worked in a mess earning meagre income. But now I earn at least Rwf200,000 monthly from mining. I have constructed a residential house worth Rwf5 million, bought big chunks of land and Friesian cows.  In addition, I feel mining safety we had never had before,” he says.

Cassien Birimoyezu, 43, a resident of Kayenzi Cell, Kagogo Sector, also says he has achieved a lot since joining NBM in 2009.

"I worked here before NBM came, but we often fought over minerals because mining was not organised. But now I have bought five hectares of land, a cow, I own a bar and other commercial houses, all valued at an estimated Rwf50 million acquired within the last five years,” says the father of seven.

Didas Semana, a resident of Rwambeho village, Rurembo cell, Rugarama Sector, says  mining has earned him properties worth over Rwf20 million within the past five years, while Gerard Nizeyimana, said he counts over Rwf15 million wealth, thanks to new mining system and saving culture.

Even if mineral prices dropped on the international market last year, with the country fetching only $216 million from mineral revenue against a target of $251.2 million, there is still hope that Rwanda will fetch $400 million in mineral revenue by 2017, according to minister Imena.

That will require special efforts, Imena says, such as increasing the volume of mineral production, diversifying the type of minerals the country exports, and adding value to minerals before they are exported by smelting and refining them.

The former illegal miners say mineral theft has significantly decreased over the past six years and their role has been crucial in identifying the channels of the black market.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw