Tantalum supply from artisanal and small-scale mining: A mineral economic evaluation of coltan production and trade dynamics in Africa's Great Lakes region

Abstract

The global significance of artisanal and small-scale mining of certain mineral commodities implies the need for evaluating this production component as a potential long-term source of supply, in conjunction with production from industrial mining operations. The tantalum sector is an important pioneer in this regard, as artisanal ‘coltan’ ore – mainly extracted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda – has represented the world's major source of tantalum over the past decade. The lack of mineral economic data pertaining to artisanal coltan extraction and trade in Africa's Great Lakes region adds to supply uncertainty while also impeding local mine business planning, investment and sector development. Addressing this information deficit, this study presents an overview on a range of mineral economic parameters that form the framework for coltan extraction and trade in the region. To this end, we evaluate coltan resources and ore bodies, grades and processing features, as well as recent production and export developments in the DRC and Rwanda. Based on these findings, we then discuss mineral economic implications that are relevant to consider for artisanal coltan supply on the background of local and international market developments. These implications refer to the socio-economic viability of coltan mining at different price levels as well as resilience in the local supply chain. Finally, in order to stimulate opportunities for artisanal coltan sourcing in the long term, we propose a concept that integrates mineral economic data acquisition and dissemination into industry initiatives on responsible supply chains.