East African Mining News Unearthing Mining Opportunities in East Africa
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A new long-term supply agreement secured through Eastinco, Aterian’s subsidiary, with an established Rwanda-based producer of tin, tantalum and tungsten (3T), marks a strategic expansion into East Africa’s critical minerals sector.
The agreement establishes a structured framework for sourcing 3T concentrates and is expected to enhance feedstock availability for Aterian’s growing trading platform, reinforcing its shift towards a more diversified and cash-generative business model. The move marks a further step in Aterian’s strategy to build an integrated critical minerals platform that balances upstream exploration with scalable trading operations. As global demand for responsibly sourced minerals accelerates, the company is positioning its trading arm as both a revenue driver and a strategic lever within the broader portfolio.
Expansion in Rwanda also strengthens Aterian’s participation in the East African supply chain, deepening relationships with regional producers while improving access to traceable, responsibly sourced materials. The agreement includes provisions on compliance, traceability and operational collaboration, key considerations as supply chain transparency becomes a defining feature of global mineral markets. Chairperson Charles Bray will assume direct strategic oversight of the trading division, underscoring its growing importance to the group’s value proposition.
The Chief Executive Officer, Simon Rollason will continue to focus on advancing exploration activities across Morocco, Botswana and Rwanda, maintaining pipeline optionality alongside near-term revenue generation. The company sees trading as a mechanism to reduce shareholder dilution, generate internal cash flows and provide market intelligence, while strengthening counterparty relationships and enhancing asset monetisation flexibility.
Operationally, Eastinco is scaling capacity to support higher trading volumes. A new 500 m² warehouse and logistics facility in Kicukiro is expected to improve inventory management and throughput efficiency, while expanded sourcing networks are being developed to secure consistent supply. The appointment of David Kayigire as local Head of Trading further reinforces Aterian’s in-country capabilities. His experience in mineral sourcing, traceability systems and responsible supply chain management is expected to support volume growth while maintaining compliance with international sourcing standards.
The agreement, alongside these operational enhancements, is anticipated to materially increase trading activity, with the potential to lift targeted revenues by up to 50% before year-end. Management maintains that strong governance and traceability frameworks are becoming critical competitive differentiators as end-markets place increasing emphasis on ethical sourcing. Within this context, Eastinco’s trading platform is emerging as a strategically positioned gateway into Africa’s evolving critical minerals landscape.
