A miner at Gifurwe mine. Some international mining frameworks put Africa in a disadvantaged position and make it difficult to compete with mineral producers in China, the US and Europe. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA
Mineral experts from East Africa have proposed the formation of a continental mineral body to promote the sector and systematically break away from the “overtly exploitative” international mineral market.
They argue that prices for the so-called conflict minerals – including gold and the “3Ts” (tin, tantalum and tungsten) – are manipulated by powerful players in the developed world, leading to low prices.
