Rwanda's latest lithium exploration efforts have entered advanced stages as companies involved are preparing to commence core-drilling.
Core drilling is a crucial phase in mineral exploration. It involves the use of hollow cylindrical drills to extract samples from below the earth’s surface, which are then analysed to assess mineral presence, concentration, and distribution.
This is not the first time that lithium core-drilling is taking place in Rwanda, as Trinity Metals were the first to hit the milestone in 2023.
However, in August last year, Rwanda embarked on greater exploration efforts through a joint venture that was signed between Aterian PLC, RIO Tinto Mining and Exploration Ltd, and Kinunga Mining Ltd.
The agreement allowed for the exploration and development of lithium and by-products, through a project that boasts 19 identified pegmatite zones for lithium, cesium, and tantalum on 2,750 hectares of land in Southern Province.
Aterian PLC, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange is an exploration, trading, and development company with a diversified portfolio in Africa dealing in critical and strategic metals projects.
The agreement indicated that RIO has the option to invest $7.5 million in two stages to earn up to a 75 percent interest in the license to explore minerals vital for a successful energy transition to renewable energy.
In an exclusive interview with The New Times, Charles Bray, Executive Chairman of Aterian PLC, a British company that has been doing mineral exploration in Rwanda for the past four years, said core-drilling is set to begin this September.
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"We are trying to expand our exploration efforts in Rwanda quite significantly, and we are starting some drilling next month,” Bray said, noting that the drilling processes will take place in Southern Province, in areas near Huye District.
"The critical thing for us at this point is to make sure we have done all the preliminary geo-physical survey work, so that we can now start to identify the best spots to drill to identify lithium,” he added.
Bray emphasised that the focus is not only on Huye but also on other potential areas in the south and west of the country.
The drilling plan involves boring to depths of approximately 3,000 to 5,000 meters in total, creating about ten drill holes. According to Bray, this will provide comprehensive data on subsurface conditions, including intersections and mineral potential, which is crucial for assessing the feasibility of a mining operation.
"Once we actually drill those areas and get the diamond core samples out, we can inspect them visually or we can send them off to a laboratory. Following that, what we will do is determine whether there is any prospective chance of us having a mine at our existing project or we need to move on and check somewhere else,” he noted.
Dubbed "white gold" for electric vehicles (EVs), lithium plays a critical role in the cathodes of all types of lithium-ion batteries that power EVs, although it is also used in the batteries of laptops and cell phones, as well as in the glass and ceramics industry.
Lithium is an important mineral today due to its application in energy storage and electronics. It is a key component of lithium-ion batteries which are used in gadgets including phones, computers, and so on.
Beyond consumer electronics, lithium's significance extends to renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs). Lithium-ion batteries are vital for storing energy from renewable sources such as solar power.