For the past years, the Rwandan economy has benefited enormously from the mining industry.
Revenues have increased from US$10 million in 2003 to US $96.4million in 2010 and the year 2011 generated up to US$ 100million.
Earlier this week, in a discussion held at Novotel Hotel, Experts in Mining sector and stakeholders pointed out that some changes regarding mining law should be made in order to develop Rwanda mining sector and ensuring that mining incomes are increasingly contributing to national development.
While presenting some specific changes, Biryabarema Michael, The deputy director general of Mining and Geology in Rwanda said that revising mining law is to maximize impacts of Mining in Rwanda and ensuring that people joining this sector have complied with good practice of Mining.
The changes which are to be made are found in Law No 37/2008 of 11th/08/2008 regarding Mining and quarry exploitation in Rwanda.
Many articles will be changed or improved, however at the beginning Article 2 regarding definitions and terms in Mining will be improved in order to clearly explain terms regarding the sector.
Under this article Mines were defined as mineral or fossil substance concerned with concession in legal terms while Quarry was defined as mineral or fossil substance not concerned with concession from the legal point of view. Technically, it is an open cast mine.
Under the New law, Mines will be defined as the inside part where by mines and quarry can be found while quarry itself will be defined as a deposit where you exploit materials such as building rocks, sand, etc by using different means of extraction.
Article 4 on search and exploitation of mine and quarry were renewed where experts highlighted that before starting mining activities, mining company should first explain its benefits to citizens and its contribution to the development of citizens.
Among other new changes made, Chapter 4 regarding mining licenses where small mine exploitation licence was 5 years which can be renewed, under the new law this licence should not exceed 5 years only.
The duration of Licence on medium mine which was not mentioned in the old law, under the new law will be ranged between 5 years and 15 years.
However, the licence for vast mining which was 30 years renewable, under article 63 of the new law the licence will be ranged between 15 years and 30 years.
Historically, since 1930, Rwanda invested in Mining Industry. The main concern was to address the growth of country’s economy and to increase the income among Rwandan population.
Today a growing number of people are joining Mining Sector and many jobs have been created locally. On one side, Mining contributes a lot in the Economic growth and on another side it can also contributes to the Environment destruction.
According to Biryabarema, the new law will define ways of adding values to Rwanda’s environment and protection of people.
Currently, before starting activities that would result in environmental degradation such as Mining investors should work under a basic EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment)- A procedure that ensures that environmental consequences of project are identified and assessed before Authorization is given.
According to mining law, this approach is a way to direct Miners to evolve from illegal mining system that have previously degraded Environment and help them to adopt legal mining system.
In this way, Rwanda’s miners will register increased mineral productivity and also immensely contribution to the long term conservation of Environment for sustainable Development.
To keep sustaining mining Industry and Environment protection the Rwanda Geology and Mining Authority also encourages all people working in Mining Sector to give up the culture of Mining in disorder and join Rwanda Mining Forum in order to be able to access more knowledge on geological and mining issues and get loans that will facilitate their daily activities.
The new law of Mine and quarry exploitation will be sent to cabinet meeting for approval.
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