Gold tops Rwanda mineral exports
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
A worker weighs gold for export at Gold Refinery in Rwanda on June 18, 2019. According to the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board, Gold exports raked in more than $302 million. File

Rwanda's mineral exports brought in over $362 million (nearly Rwf 426 billion) between April and June 2023, according to the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board (RMB).

Gold exports raked in more than $302 million (nearly Rwf 356 billion), emerging as the highest revenue source among all minerals, including cassiterite, coltan, wolfram, and others.

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During this period, the total volume of mineral exports reached 6,638,538 kilograms, valued at over $362,000,000.

Gold exports raked in more than $302 million (nearly Rwf 356 billion), emerging as the highest revenue source among all minerals, including cassiterite, coltan, wolfram, and others. File

Comparing the figures between the first and second quarters of 2023, there was an impressive 46.4 percent increase in mineral export revenue and a substantial 12 percent rise in volumes, according to the RMB.

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The export of about 4.7 tonnes of gold alone contributed over $302.6 million to the total.

Meanwhile, the country exported more than 1,144 tonnes of cassiterite, valued at over $18.8 million (approximately Rwf 22 billion), during the same period.

Coltan exports, amounting to 254 tonnes, generated $27.8 million (around Rwf 32.6 billion), while over 635 tonnes of wolfram yielded $8.4 million (around Rwf 10 billion).

Other minerals, weighing 4,267 tonnes, contributed more than $4.5 million (over Rwf 5.3 billion) to the overall mineral export revenue.

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In 2022, Rwanda recorded total mineral export earnings of over $772 million, a significant increase from $516 million in 2021.

As part of its ambitious goals, the country aims to achieve $1.5 billion in annual mineral export revenues by 2024. To this end, the government actively seeks to attract investments in the mining sector and positions Rwanda as a regional hub for processing and trading.