Rwanda yesterday celebrated the international day of mining under the theme, "Green mining as a pillar to growth and sustainable development”.

The day provided an opportunity to share the status of the mining sector, the opportunities it presents, reforms needed and the future of the sector.

It also provided an opportunity for miners to meet and interact with potential investors, private sector players such as banks, and insurance companies, as well as civil society and government institutions.

The event, which was held in Kigali, was organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources in partnership with the Rwanda Mining Authority (RMA).

Participants discussed ways in which ‘Green Mining’ could be encouraged in the country in order to conserve the environment.

The State Minister for Mining, Evode Imena, said that while previously the main target was to professionalise the mining industry, today the focus is to mitigate the negative effect of mining on land, water, forests and people.

"The meeting aims to solve the problem of environmental degradation and other challenges that have been associated with the mining industry. And these include, price fluctuation, especially for wolfram and casseterite minerals which are no longer highly demanded by China as well as mineral theft at Dar es Salaam port,” he said.

According to Jean Malic Kalima, the chairperson RMA, the mining industry had made many strides such as establishing the association of miners, adopting a new law governing mining, and carryingout study tours in Tanzania, Kenya, Europe, and Canada.

Dr Andreas Wieczorek, a German specialist in geology and CEO of Hard Metal Rwanda Limited,(a mining company), said technical development in the industry was still low although it is promising,

"The mining industry is still growing and all the mined products are just exported. But the mineral processing industry will come up with the help of the funds earned from mining,” he said.

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