The Board of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas announced that as the country moves towards recovery from the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, the government has decided to speed up the processing of new applications for mining licences.
The state agency said in a press release that it has also issued a set of protocols to allow mining companies to restart 100 percent of their operations with enhanced health and safety measures for their employees.
“[The protocols include] adequate tunnel ventilation, de-densification, screening and testing mechanisms, require miners to put in place tracing programs, allow workers to work in shifts and provide relevant PPE, among others,” the brief states.
The Paul Kagame administration said it would handle them more effectively when it comes to small-scale mining operators by consolidating all of them into collective investment groupings. These groups will receive mining licenses, open to foreign investment. At the same time, the Board plans to formalize regional mineral trade to support local smelters, refineries, and all value-added and export operations.
Those measures will focus on 3TG (gold, tin, tantalum and tungsten), gemstones, rare earths, and lithium, according to the media release.
