Congo earthquake disrupts tin ore exports (updated)

Alphamin Resources

26/05/2021 15:15

(Adds details, quote, production statistics)
    JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Reuters) - An earthquake in Goma, a
city in Democratic Republic of Congo near the border with
Rwanda, is delaying exports of tin ore from mineral-rich North
Kivu province, two sources with direct knowledge told Reuters on
Wednesday.
    This will exacerbate shortages of the soldering metal, which
have pushed prices to a 10-year high of $30,650 a tonne.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2ML6YC  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2ND0U0
    The sources said tin ore producers have been unable to
obtain the permits they need to clear shipments for export
because government offices in Goma, North Kivu's capital city,
are shut due to the earthquake, which destroyed several
buildings on Tuesday.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2NC0UY
    They declined to say how much tin is delayed. Tin prices
were up 1% on Wednesday to $29,725 a tonne.
    Measured at 5.3 magnitude by the Rwandan Seismic Monitor,
Tuesday's earthquake was the largest of more than 100 tremors
that have followed the eruption on Saturday of Mount Nyiragongo
volcano just north of Goma. 
    More than 20,000 people are homeless and 40 still missing in
the aftermath of the eruption.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N2ND37X
    North Kivu exported 8,281 tonnes of tin ore in 2019, the
provincial mines division's latest statistics show. The vast
majority of that came from Alphamin Resources'  AFM.V  Bisie
mine near Walikale. 
    In a statement, Alphamin, which produced 10,319 tonnes of
tin in 2020, said: "Some disruption of government services
relating to export documentation has occurred and, assuming no
further volcanic eruptions, these services are expected to
return to normal in the first week of June."
    The seismic activity around Goma following Saturday's
eruption has raised concerns Nyiragongo may erupt again.
Goma-based volcanologist Dario Tedesco said on Monday he feared
the tremors could open another fracture.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2NB113

 (Reporting by Pratima Desai and Helen Reid with additional
reporting by Zandi Shabalala
Editing by Gareth Jones/Mark Heinrich)
 ((Helen.Reid@thomsonreuters.com; +27 66 156 5214;))