Mine excursion
The artisanal issues have been dealt with,
and may be on the backburner. It has
become way too difficult for artisanal
miners to get to the ore body, which
outcropped in the past, but has now been
mined out on surface. The political and
security risks remain, as the Congolese
population becomes impatient with
Laurent Kabila’s lethargy and refusal
to call new elections. The biggest
question mark, however, is infrastructure.
To get supplies and equipment in,
and product out, will always be a
high-risk, high-cost endeavour, even
when the roads are upgraded.
Nevertheless, Bisie is an exemplary
example of the old proverb, ‘where
there is a will there is a way’. When
Kamstra asked Robinson (who is a
local Congolese and at that stage
worked for an NGO) four years
ago about Bisie, Robinson replied
that they shouldn’t touch it.
Today, Bisie is less than two years
away from producing conflict free
tin and Robinson is employed by
Alphamin. Alphamin did many things
right in Walikale. Through Robinson
and Kamstra, they have built strong
relationships with the communities,
artisanal miners and government
representatives. Faber and his mining
team, including the contractors on
site, are the best in the business and
familiar with the operating environment
in the eastern parts of the DRC.
Although there are still isolated
reports of violence every so often,
it seems that peace has returned to
Walikale; the guns have gone silent. The
only noise on the hill at Bisie is that of
300 miners building a mine, possibly
the richest tin mine on earth. A lot
has changed for that mysterious hill at
Bisie. It is now a beacon of hope and a
kingpin in the international tin market.
And that, frankly, is enough reason
to tick all the boxes, even if I was one
of those desk-bound, white-knuckled
and sweaty-palmed punters.
Although there
are still isolated
reports of
violence every so
often, it seems
that peace
has returned
to Walikale;
the guns have
gone silent.
JANUARY 2018 MINING MIRROR
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