Uganda to commission first tin refining plant, targeting enhanced mineral value addition

Uganda is gearing up to inaugurate its first tin refining facility in the southwestern region next month, marking a significant step towards expanding capacity and adding value domestically to its mineral resources, disclosed a senior official from the mining ministry.

President Yoweri Museveni’s administration is prioritizing the optimization of export benefits to the East African nation, where numerous gold refineries are already operational. In line with this strategy, Chinese-backed Sunbird Resources recently secured a license for limestone mining, earmarked for cement production.

“We are preparing to launch our very first tin processing facility,” stated Irene Bateebe, a prominent figure within the energy and mineral development ministry, in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, confirming that the inauguration is scheduled for next month.

Woodcross Resources, a Uganda-based mining and mineral trading company, is the proprietor of the plant. “They will be refining tin to over 99% in terms of its purity,” Bateebe elaborated, refraining from divulging the exact scale of the investment. At the time of reporting, Woodcross had not responded to requests for comment.

According to information available on its website, Woodcross holds a tin mining license encompassing 40 square kilometers (15 square miles) in western Uganda. The company’s tin refining facility boasts an annual capacity exceeding 1,000 tonnes.

The commissioning of Uganda’s first tin refining plant reflects the government’s commitment to fostering domestic value addition within the mining sector.

The initiative aligns with broader efforts across the African continent to promote downstream processing of natural resources, ensuring that African nations derive maximal value from their abundant mineral reserves