Digne Rwabuhungu, a geologist who heads the school of mining and geology at the University of Rwanda (UR) has debunked claims that Rwanda doesn’t have minerals by revealing how surveys from the 1930s showed the country had deposits of tin, tantalum, tungsten (3Ts), and gold. Trained in Belgium for a PhD in geology and mining, Rwabuhungu is a co-author of various mining and geology research publications, among which he edited the African Academic reference book, titled “Design and Implementation of Degree Programme in Applied Geology.” “If you say I am not telling the truth, I will send you to Belgium, to the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren. Ask them for colonial-era archives and maps from the eastern part of the DR Congo and Rwanda. You will see the minerals. It’s easy, well-documented, and clear,” says Professor Digne Rwabuhungu, a geologist who heads the school of mining and geology at the University of Rwanda (UR). ALSO READ: ‘This is home’ – an underground tour that left me forever grateful He told The New Times that Rwanda’s critical mineral resources have been known since the 1930s during the colonial era, debunking the claims of some critics who say that the country does not possess minerals and that what it exports is not from within its territory. Rwabuhungu noted that Rwanda’s geology is linked to key geological formations especially the Karagwe-Ankole Belt which stretches across parts of western Uganda, northern Tanzania, and Rwanda. The belt’s rocks are rich in a variety of minerals, including tin and tungsten, coltan, and so on which are mined in various countries in the region. ALSO READ: How former artisanal miner built a concession worth Rwf 5 billion He argues, therefore, that geology has no borders, and it should be easy to realise that mineral resources can extend beyond borders. Explaining the concept of critical minerals, he said it is a dynamic one that keeps changing with time, particularly due to factors like economic importance of the minerals and supply risks. Since the 1930s, geological surveys have indicated that Rwanda possesses deposits of tin, tantalum, tungsten (3Ts), and gold. The deposits are associated with steep faults and folds that happen along raised areas on granite formations. The country, according to Rwanda Development Board (RDB), also hosts a large number of historical mineral occurrences and operational mines with major commodities being cassiterite, coltan, gold, and other pegmatite-related rare minerals such as rare earth elements, beryl, lithium-bearing minerals, phosphate, and so on. Talking about lithium, which is one of the latest mineral resources that Rwanda has discovered in its territory working together with major international companies like Rio Tinto, Rwabuhungu explained that it only became a critical mineral in recent years due to its use in rechargeable batteries like those of electric vehicles. “There are so many places where it is found. If you want, I can give you the names of the countries that mine lithium. There is Australia, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Chile, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and the United States,” he said. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda’s Tungsten mine which is the leading producer in Africa Referring again to the Karagwe-Ankole Belt, he highlighted that geological discoveries made in countries along the area have often depended on previous research done by colonialists. He explained that such research was not balanced across the countries, since the colonialists focused more on exploring some countries than others. “Exploration depended on the interest of colonial powers at that particular time. For example, in Rwanda, they invested some money in exploration but not as much as they invested in DR Congo. Some documentation at the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Belgium can show you that they preferred Rwanda as a place to go for vacation because of the weather and the good views,” he explained. He called for further research for mineral exploration. He pointed out that Rwanda’s public university - University of Rwanda (UR) only got a school of geology and mining nine years ago, as opposed to its regional counterparts which had such schools many more years ago. Looking into the future, he says critical minerals are going to get more market and demand, for example due to the technological advancements that will need such minerals, for example, e-mobility. Rwabuhungu emphasised the growing demand for critical minerals, particularly due to technological advancements such as e-mobility. A study by the International Energy Agency indicates that the demand for electric vehicles is projected to increase by 125% from 2017 to 2030. With this rise in demand, countries rich in minerals must develop strategies for responsible production. “You need to manage the people who are producing, you need to be careful to not put too much on the market and surpass the demand,” he said, adding that countries with such resources, especially those in Africa need to invest in a workforce and skills in order to have engineers and geologists who will do a good job. Currently, since the establishment of the school of mining and geology at UR in 2015, the country has produced 260 professionals, a substantial increase from the 40 professionals it had in 1995. Rwabuhungu also said that Rwanda still lacks what is known as a geological survey institution which should be in charge of understanding and mapping the country's natural resources. He gave examples of the United States where there is the U.S. Geological Survey; the United Kingdom, where they have the U.K. Geological Survey; and Tanzania where they have the Tanzania Geological Survey; and so on.
