US Senator Steve Daines of Montana has visited the Nyakabingo wolfram mine operated by Trinity Metals, underscoring growing strategic ties between Rwanda and the United States in the critical minerals sector.
Daines and his delegation are in Rwanda on an official visit. On Thursday, they held talks with President Paul Kagame, focusing on bilateral cooperation and investment opportunities.
On Friday, the delegation traveled to Nyakabingo in Rulindo District, home to one of Africa’s largest wolfram deposits. Trinity Metals executives briefed the senator on ongoing extraction and processing activities, highlighting environmentally responsible mining practices and quality assurance systems that meet international standards.
The visit comes as Trinity Metals strengthens its footprint in the US market through a supply agreement to export refined wolfram concentrate. The company became the first mining firm in the Great Lakes region to ship processed wolfram to the United States.
A landmark agreement between Trinity Metals and Pennsylvania-based GTP was signed on August 28, 2025, with the first consignment dispatched shortly thereafter — a move seen as a breakthrough for Rwanda’s mineral exports.
According to the Rwanda Mines Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB), Nyakabingo is the largest wolfram-producing mine in Africa, with an estimated annual output of 1,000 tonnes. Authorities have set an ambitious target to double production within four years.
During the 20th National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano), RMB Chief Executive Officer Alice Uwase noted that Rwanda supplies 31 percent of the world’s wolfram, ranking first in Africa and fourth globally.
Established in 2022 following the merger of Nyakabingo Tungsten Mine, Rutongo Tin Mine and Musha Tin and Tantalum Mine, Trinity Metals has consolidated some of Rwanda’s most strategic mineral assets, positioning the country as a key player in the global tungsten value chain.
