Resource Stewardship & Community Engagement

Coltan, a trading name for columbite-tantalite ore, is often thought of as a conflict mineral, particularly in the East African context. We have robust due diligence systems, independently audited, to ensure that our supply chain and products are 100% free from minerals of conflict origin, child labour and other human rights abuses.

See our Supply Chain Policy below

Making the extra effort to ensure that non-metallic by-products can be used in construction materials or other industries, such as kaolin use in paper manufacturing, helps us work towards our goal of making the most of the natural resources available to the communities we work in and not just strip out the most valuable assets.

The energy intensive processes in mining and refining can be difficult to transition to a carbon zero reality, but we are working on it.  On average, we plant approximately 20,000 trees per year as an immediate action plan and are striving to move all mining and refining to solar and hydro-power installations by 2026.

Our operations in Rwanda have been helping local communities find cost effective solutions for the many landslides which occur in the land of 1000 Hills during every rainy season. By establishing a vetiver nursery at our mine site and training local citizens to propagate the deep rooted grass, we have established a perpetual program to reduce landslide occurrences in the local communities.

Waste water treatment and access to a clean running  water supply is limited in some of the rural communities in which we operate.  With the need for water storage and treatment at our mine sites, we are pioneering small-scale waste water treatment systems which can be extended to local community use whether, otherwise, such infrastructure would be too costly for local governments to provide.

Active lifestyles, community cohesion and positive self-esteem are some of the great characterise in grassroots sports. We have committed to developing rugby, running and cycling in communities where we operate as a means to bring people together, foster aspirational goals, and create new opportunities which may otherwise not materialise in the remote areas we operate in.