Uganda is set to see its first-ever tin refinery commence commercial production next month as Woodcross Resources kicks off operations at its refinery in Ruti, Mbarara. 

Over the past year, Uganda has been actively attempting to add value to the minerals it produces. Tin has emerged as the latest of these minerals to garner attention in the region. In a recent Reuters article, Irene Batebe, a top official of Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, revealed plans for Uganda’s first-ever tin refining facility set to launch next month. Furthermore, Batebe’s statements coincide with the introduction of a new statutory regulation mandating that tin exports must contain a minimum content of 99.85% Sn.

In December 2023, in its efforts to nationalise Uganda’s mineral industry, the Ugandan Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Dr Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, signed the abovementioned statutory instrument. This revision of Uganda’s tin export regulations overturned the prior allowance for tin exports containing a minimum of 67% to 70% Sn to leave the country.

The upcoming tin refinery slated to begin commercial operations next month is owned by Woodcross Resources. Woodcross owns several tin operations in Uganda, including two mining licences, four exploration permits, and a refinery. The two mines are split into artisanal small scall mining in the Ntungamo District and a concentrator plant in the the Isingiro District. These two mines will provide a local feedstock supply for the company’s refinery in Ruti, Mbarara. According to Woodcross, the refinery is estimated to have an annual throughput of 1,600tpy of tin concentrate and an output of approximately 1,000tpy of LME brand (99.85% Sn) ingots.

There is currently only one other tin refinery on the African continent, the LuNa smelter, which is located in Rwanda. The LuNa smelter has a capacity of 2,700tpy of LME brand tin ingots; however, recent production data shows that it operates closer to one-quarter of its capacity, representing approximately 0.2% of total global refined tin supply in 2023, according to Project Blue. It is unknown whether Woodcross will be able to maximise its output capacity; however, if it can, then, together with the Rwandan output, African refined tin production could increase to 0.5% of global production. Albeit only a small percentage, this will be significant in the African context.