Editor’s Note
Rwanda’s mining sector is attracting significant attention, with the government receiving over 70 bids for just 10 newly available mining blocks. This surge in investor interest highlights the country’s growing appeal as a resource destination and its potential for further economic development.
Rwanda’s mining industry is seeing renewed investor interest as the government reports receiving at least 73 applications for 10 mining blocks unveiled in mid-2025. According to the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB), the blocks have already attracted strong competition, leading to successful awards for areas including Nduba, Rweru-Kimvubu, Juru, Mamfu-Rwasama, Remera, Rugarama and Rweru.
The government has now opened another 10 blocks for investor field visits in February 2026. Officials expect even stronger competition this round, especially for lithium, tantalum and gemstone sites. Applications close on March 3 as Rwanda positions itself as a rising hub for tech and critical minerals.
Uwase said the new set of 10 mining blocks includes four that RMB has already explored and considers among the country’s most promising. These focus on tin, tantalum and tungsten, collectively known as 3Ts, alongside beryllium and lithium. Another four blocks are reserved for fresh exploration targeting similar minerals, while two are dedicated to gemstones such as sapphires.
The new opportunities include Bihembe, Rubiha, Musenyi, Nyamyumba-Kivumu, Shyorongi and Binyeri, Kanama, Minazi, Bushekeri-Rangiro, and Kabagari-Kinihira.
Uwase urged investors to consider joint ventures to strengthen compliance and financial capacity, noting that technical expertise remains the most important evaluation criterion.
Each of the 10 blocks offers distinct mineral potential. The Binyeri block in Kamonyi District covers 70 hectares and shows potential for cassiterite, columbite-tantalite, lithium and beryllium. Musenyi in Bugesera District spans 1,100 hectares and lies within the Bugesera granite, known for tin-bearing pegmatites with grades reaching 0.2 percent.
Rubiha in Gatsibo District is part of a tin-rich mineral zone where cassiterite purity ranges from 90 to 99 percent. Minazi in Gakenke District has a history of mining and contains tantalum, gemstones and traces of gold, with earlier studies estimating around 12,000 tonnes of tantalum resources.
Shyorongi in Rulindo District is linked to leucogranite intrusions and shows potential for niobium, cassiterite, tungsten and gold. Bihembe, stretching across parts of Rwamagana District, is also associated with leucogranites rich in tantalum and rare metals. Kabagari-Kinihira in Ruhango District contains lithium, beryllium and gemstones, while Nyamyumba-Kivumu in Rubavu District is promising for tin, tungsten and beryl.
Bushekeri-Rangiro in Nyamasheke District is known for gemstones such as sapphire, ruby and amethyst, with sapphire crystals measuring up to eight millimetres. Kanama, also in Rubavu District within the Gishwati Complex, holds deposits of tourmaline, sapphire, beryl and almandine, as well as recoverable dolerite boulders along rivers.
Rwanda is positioning itself as a key player in global supply chains for minerals used in electronics, batteries and clean-energy technologies. By opening new blocks to investors, the government hopes to attract more exploration capital, strengthen local expertise and boost exports.
Uwase said the RMB aims to maintain strict technical and environmental standards as competition grows.
Applications for the new mining blocks close on March 3, 2026.