Alphamin Resources announced on Wednesday that it would resume operations at its Bisie tin mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, after a temporary suspension due to ongoing conflict in the region.
The Bisie mine, which ranks as the third most productive tin mine in the world, had been shut down in mid-March after Rwanda-backed M23 fighters advanced towards North Kivu province. However, the company confirmed that a “phased resumption” of operations was now underway, following the withdrawal of the armed group to positions more than 130 kilometres (80 miles) away.
A statement from Alphamin stated, “The company intends to redeploy employees as part of a plan to restart tin production in phases while continuing to monitor the security situation.”
The statement further noted that the mine was well-supplied with consumables and spare parts to support the resumption of production.
This development coincides with ongoing peace efforts, with delegations from the Congolese government and the M23 rebels currently meeting in Qatar in a bid to end the violence that has plagued the region.
Eastern DR Congo, which shares a border with Rwanda, is rich in natural resources but has been a focal point of conflict for more than 30 years. In recent months, the M23 has taken control of the major cities of Goma in North Kivu and Bukavu in neighbouring South Kivu. The group also briefly advanced towards the town of Walikale, near the Bisie mine, before withdrawing in early April.
The announcement of the mine’s reopening follows a visit to Kinshasa by US envoy Massad Boulos, during which Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi discussed potential mining agreements. However, no details regarding any deals were provided.
Alphamin Resources is majority-owned by Tremont Master Holdings, an investment company based in Mauritius, which was created by the US private equity firm Denham Capital.
The Bisie mine produced approximately 17,300 tonnes of tin concentrate in 2024, contributing nearly six percent of the global supply, according to the International Tin Association. Despite the mine’s evacuation, the company stated that “care and maintenance activities and tin concentrate export logistics continued without interruption.”
