By Charles Ndushabandi

Aterian PLC, a British firm is to exploit lithium in Rwanda, after various signs have indicated its presence its bosses have said.

Lithium plays a critical role in the cathodes of all types of lithium-ion batteries that power EVs, although it is also used in the batteries of laptops and cell phones, as well as in the glass and ceramics industry.

In 2018, the Rwandan government called on investors to invest in exploration and processing of lithium in a bid to brand the country as a destination for mining investment.

Luke Rogers, the Chief Operating Officer at Aterian PLC, who is a mining and minerals engineer, said his company has seen a lot of signs of the potential presence of lithium in the country and is confident that Rwanda will be a producer of lithium concentrate in the next ten years with the mineral found in the areas of Rwamagana, Huye, and Muhanga.

“We have deposits at the moment that have potential for lithium. We got a report recently that confirms that the mineralization we are seeing on the surface gives a high chance that there will be lithium at the depth. It is all to do with geochemistry. If you are seeing certain elements in abundance in one location, it gives an indication that there could be lithium,” he said.

Currently, there are companies in Rwanda that produce amblygonite, a mineral that contains lithium. However, amblygonite is not highly regarded on the international market, and its production is relatively small.

According to Rogers, there is a potential of finding better lithium-containing minerals like Spodumene and Lepidolite, which can be mined in abundance and are easier to process.

As the world produces more batteries and EVs, the demand for lithium is projected to reach 1.5 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) by 2025 and over 3 million tonnes by 2030.