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With global demand for critical minerals high, Uganda’s artisanal, medium, and small-scale miners have been urged to add critical minerals to their portfolio.

The critical materials are key for energy transition and for the making of batteries for electric cars. They include; aluminium, cobalt, copper, steel, lithium, magnesium, natural graphite, nickel, platinum, and silicon.

Vincent Kedi, the assistant commissioner licensing of the energy ministry, says UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and EU (European Union) are set to launch phase three of the ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme, which is an initiative of the African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) Group of States financed by the EU and UNDP.

It is aimed at supporting the operations of artisanal, small, and medium-scale miners (ASM).

The programme is expected to undertake capacity development to improve management of development and critical minerals.

The development minerals sector includes industrial minerals, construction materials, dimension stones and semi-precious stones.

This was during the ACP-EU minerals development programme-Uganda stakeholder consultation and validation workshop at the Imperial Golf View Hotel, Entebbe on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.

Kedi said support will be given to miners to get mining equipment: “We want small-scale miners to improve their productivity, especially gold miners. After travelling to Tanzania many have adopted the use of mining using better shafts like those in Tanzania.”

Hope Kyarisiima, the country co-ordinator Uganda ACP-EU Development Minerals Programme, said there is wasteful extraction of minerals, which can be avoided with training.

Kyarisiima said a study showed that 99% of enterprises that were formalised reported better gains, survived the COVID-19 shock, and some accessed financing.

“Mining should not lead to undermining the environment and social safeguards. There is a need to restore open quarries, forest planting is possible in districts,” she explained.

Kyarisiima added that under capacity women will be trained to develop business plans that enable them access financing. Similarly, women who make up 44% of miners in Uganda can visit Uganda Industrial Research Institute to see how materials such as clay add value to produce ceramic.

“It is exposure that enables women to understand the value and quantity of products, what they can do, and how to access support. Miners should take custody of assets they will acquire to grow, transform, get skills, move forward, and reduce dependency,” Kyarisiima noted.

She indicated that there are digital platforms that miners can use to display and enable the ordering of their products. She said these platforms run by registered miners will enable them to get fair market value for their products.

She said under capacity building there will be efforts to contain gender-based violence which is common in mine sites.

Kyarisiima said a study will be carried out on the needs of ASM on how to best position them to mine the critical minerals.

Kyarisiima observed that most miners do not invest in restoring the environment after mining, leaving pits to create breeding grounds for malaria and gaping holes that people can fall in.

She noted that local governments express frustration when they do not see miners complying with commitments to protect the environment or contribute to revenue generation.

Innocent Ejoru, the team leader Inclusive Growth Partnerships UNDP, said ASM remains informal, earning little, impacting the environment negatively and creating social conflict.

“The funds will support inclusive and more sustainable development minerals value chains, fostering the production of low-carbon materials and building resilience towards climate shocks,” Ejoru said.

Frank Mugyenyi, the executive director of Minerals African Development Institution, said the artisanal and small-scale mining sector is a multi-billion shilling industry and miners should start seeing themselves as professionals.

“They should have business plans, access finance and follow environment, and social governance principles,” Mugyenyi said.

He added that artisanal miners have to focus on having geological information, maintaining zero waste principle through valorisation and they should have licences.

Kenneth Asiimwe, the projects and research development officer of the Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, said studies should be done to help improve the remuneration of miners as some are paid in kind through alcohol.

Asiimwe said that women in mine sites are seen as helpers in mining and are not paid fairly.

“The poor extraction methods are leading to poor quality products, and erratic supply. There is low budget support to support extension services to the sector,” Asiimwe said.

Morris Tabaro, inspector of mines at the department of Geological Survey and Mining, said there was a need to create a database of mineral suppliers like the oil and gas national supplier database.

Lira city forestry and environment officer Moses Oloro said ASM miners face similar problems in Uganda. According to him, they need solutions including the provision of machinery, provision of skills, training to make personal protective equipment, access to affordable finance, business development and they need to get land agreements, land leases, or land titles.