More investment opportunities in Rwanda as exploration expands
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More investment opportunities in Rwanda as exploration expands
Investment opportunities in Rwanda’s exploration sector are increasing
By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine.
Rwanda is making strides in expanding its mining industry with a specific focus on battery metals and critical minerals.
The Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) three-year national exploration programme (launched in 2023) is gaining momentum.
The national exploration project includes geological surveys and detailed exploration at 52 prospective targets, with 18 areas under active exploration as of mid-July 2025.
Rwanda is part of the Central African Great Lakes region and hosts good tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold, lithium and rare earth deposits. Yet, much of the country remains underexplored. The government’s 52-area campaign confirms many untapped zones.
Aterian confirms high-grade spodumene
A few explorers in Rwanda have turned their attention to lithium, a high demand critical mineral.
For example, Aterian in partnership with Rio Tinto and Kinunga Mining, has confirmed the presence of exceptionally high-grade spodumene in Rwanda’s Southern Province, with lithium concentrations reaching almost 3.2% after announcing initial drilling results earlier this month.
According to Aterian CEO Simon Rollason the drilling results confirms the presence of spondumene-bearing lithium pegmatite at the HCK Project.
“We are highly encouraged that Rio Tinto has exercised its Stage 1 earn-in rights following the completion of the initial Stage 1 exploration programme.
“We are delighted with the drilling results which intersected a fresh pegmatite associated with high-grade lithium,” says Rollason.
Trinity Metals’ ongoing exploration
The first lithium bearing pegmatites in Rwanda were discovered in 2018 by a company that in 2022 became Trinity Metals. Trinity is still activity exploring for lithium-tin-tantalum at their Ntunga (Musha) site in the Rwamagane District.
Trinity’s activities involve deep drilling, currently drilling to more than 600m depth per hole.
Rwanda encourages investment
Rwanda’s Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board actively encourages investment and offers exploration permits, partnerships and co-funding opportunities.
They recently streamlined their permitting process, and companies can easily access data through the National Geological Database.
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To read more about Rwanda, early-stage mineral exploration, geology, mining and Africa’s natural resources, visit the WhyAfrica website, your one-stop shop for on the ground information and business intelligence about Africa.
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Image: Geological mapping in the south of Rwanda. Image credit: Aterian (https://aterianplc.com/)_
More investment opportunities in Rwanda as exploration expands
