Mapping artisanal mining sites in the Kibali gold mine concession in Faradje territory, Haut-Uélé, DRC
December 8, 2025In the Faradje administrative territory in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Haut-Uélé province, more than 5,000 people rely on artisanal gold mining to earn a living and support their families. Many artisanal-mining families have done so for generations. They currently work on sites that now fall largely within mining permits owned by Kibali Goldmines (Kibali), a joint venture of Ba
Infrastructure, extraction, and accountability around the Lobito Corridor in southern DRC
December 3, 2025Geopolitical framing of the Lobito Corridor The Lobito Corridor aims to connect the port of Lobito (Angola) to mineral-rich provinces of Haut-Katanga and Lualaba in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as the Zambian Copperbelt through a combination of rehabilitated and newly constructed rail infrastructure. Although not a new initiative, the project became a flagship of the
Voices from Tanzania – Exploring cultural norms limiting women’s participation in artisanal and small-scale gold mining activities in Mwakitolyo, Shinyanga region
October 9, 2025Women have historically contributed to mining activities across the world, yet their roles have often been overlooked or undervalued. Also in Tanzania’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, women face systemic barriers rooted in cultural norms, legal frameworks, and socio-economic structures. In this study, Thubutu Africa Initiatives (TAI) explores the cultural and social factors
Voices from Tanzania – Her place in the mine: Women’s struggles and aspirations in the gemstone sector of Kalalani, Tanga
September 30, 2025Tanzania is a key source of coloured gemstones, including tsavorite, rubies, and sapphires. The sector, driven largely by artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), contributes to the national economy but women—who make up 25–30% of the workforce—are often confined to insecure, low-paying roles and see little of its benefits. This report, carried out by HakiMadini with methodological and editorial su
Voices from Tanzania – Well-being and economic mobility of women in the Mirerani Tanzanite mining area, Manyara
September 23, 2025Tanzanite, a rare and valuable gemstone, holds significant economic potential for Tanzania. Yet, the country’s mining sector is marked by persistent socio-economic inequalities, particularly affecting women. In Mirerani – the only place on earth where tanzanite is found – women face systematic barriers to decent work, equipment, training and leadership positions. These challenges – compounded by e
Voix du Congo – The smuggling of coltan from South Kivu to Rwanda: Routes, factors, and implementation
July 22, 2025The escalation of conflict in eastern DRC has sparked increased media attention on coltan and its role as a driver of violence. While most coverage has focused on the production and (il)legal trade of coltan in North Kivu, smuggling is also widespread in South Kivu. This report examines the key smuggling routes, contributing factors, and practices.
Diamonds, conflict and crime in the Central African Republic: The lifting of the last Kimberley Process embargo
June 17, 2025For over a decade, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been at the center of international efforts to curb the trade in conflict diamonds. In 2013, the Kimberley Process (KP) imposed a rough diamond export embargo following a violent coup and widespread reports of rebel financing through diamond mining and trade. While the embargo was partially eased between 2015 and 2019, further progress stal
After the tailings dam collapse: Community perspectives on compensation and restoration at the Williamson diamond mine, Tanzania
May 6, 2025In November 2022, a major accident occurred at the Williamson diamond mine in Tanzania’s Shinyanga region, when approximately 150 meters of the eastern wall of the mine’s tailings storage facility (TSF) collapsed. This released a large volume of tailings slurry that spread northeast, covering an estimated 5.4 km² in a single day and severely impacting land and water resources in and around the min
Diamonds in the DRC: A sector struggling to shine again
April 23, 2025The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is an important player in the global diamond industry, with considerable untapped potential. This report discusses the current state of play in the DRC’s diamond mining sector, including production trends, key challenges, as well as efforts and opportunities to revive the sector and to increase its impact on local development and socio-economic well-being
Mineral extraction, environmental harm, and conflict: The role of EU due diligence in promoting sustainable practices in conflict hotspots
April 16, 2025In many conflict-prone regions, mining activities often contribute to both environmental degradation and the intensification of local conflicts. These issues are exacerbated by weak governance structures, poor enforcement of regulations, corruption and limited accountability for extractive industries. Environmental harm, such as temporary tree cover loss and long-term deforestation, water pollutio
KUFUATILIA expands to Tanzania: Strengthening civil society monitoring and community support in the mining sector
April 2, 2025In March 2025, IPIS successfully launched KUFUATILIA, its civil society organization (CSO) incident monitoring scheme for the mining sector, in Tanzania’s Mara region. KUFUATILIA is a community-based incident reporting system designed to facilitate real-time, structured reporting by community members through mobile phones.
The rising spotlight on coltan: Understanding its strategic importance and role in the Eastern Congo conflict
March 25, 2025In the past two decades, there has probably been no time when coltan has been discussed as much as it is today. Initially brought to global attention in the early 2000s, coltan was wrongly portrayed as the main cause of the conflict in Eastern Congo and was subsequently labelled as a “conflict mineral.” However, following the capture of Goma by the M23 rebel group in January 2025, supported by the
Balancing prosperity and rights: Advancing Tanzania’s Business and Human Rights agenda in extractives
January 30, 2025DARUBINI – TANZANIA BRIEFING – JANUARY 2025 In today’s global business environment, corporate responsibility towards host community welfare, particularly safeguarding and respecting human rights, has become a pivotal concern. The issue reached a watershed moment in 2011 with the development of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). These principles rest on a th
Kimberley Process lifts conflict diamonds embargo on the Central African Republic – Q&A
December 4, 2024At its 2024 plenary meeting in Dubai, the Kimberley Process (KP) decided to lift the 11-year-old embargo on rough diamond exports from the Central African Republic. What were the driving factors behind this decision, and what are its implications? In this Q&A, IPIS delves into the background of the embargo, its impact and effectiveness, the rationale for its removal, and the potential consequences
Revisiting responsible sourcing: Lessons from the Democratic Republic of Congo
September 16, 2024Thirteen years ago, in May 2011, IPIS participated in the very first meeting in Paris on implementing the newly adopted OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. At this relatively small gathering – organized by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the OECD and the UN Group of Experts on the Democrat
Voices from Tanzania – Social and economic impacts of land acquisition by Barrick North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania: A case study of Komarera, Kewanja and Mjini Kati villages in Tarime District
June 19, 2024In Tanzania, the need for land has increased dramatically in recent years, to accommodate different types of investment that push for the country’s industrialization, economic growth and development. Despite the existence of well-established procedures and legal provisions, challenges persist within Tanzania regarding land acquisition […]
Voices from Tanzania – The social-economic impact of land acquisition practices related to Bulyanhulu Gold Mine on communities in Msalala district council, Shinyanga region
June 17, 2024This publication is part of IPIS’ Voices from Tanzania series and its edition on “The impact of land acquisition practices in the extractive sectors of northern Tanzania”. In their Voices from Tanzania study Rafiki SDO assesses the socio-economic impacts of land acquisition practices by the Bulyanhulu gold mine on 2 villages in Msalala district council, Shinyanga region. Download the report (EN) P
Why the DR Congo is putting Apple on the spot
May 15, 2024End of April, several international media relayed accusations against Apple sourcing ‘conflict minerals’ from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The reality behind these allegations is however quite complex. The reasons for the Congolese government to speak out now, seem to go beyond concerns related to human rights violations along mineral supply chains. The allegatio
Unearthing equality: Women’s empowerment in Tanzania’s extractive sector
April 18, 2024DARUBINI – TANZANIA BRIEFING – APRIL 2024 While driving economic growth and contributing to welfare, the benefits of Tanzania’s extractive sector have not been equitably distributed among all segments of society, with women being notably disadvantaged. In this briefing, IPIS and its partners look at the realities of women’s participation in both small and large-scale mining. The briefing iden
Mining and conflict in the eastern DRC: An interactive story map
February 15, 2024Conflict-financing, armed interference, and sources of insecurity beyond the ‘conflict minerals’ paradigm In this story map, IPIS presents its findings on the linkage between mining and conflict-financing in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Based on a survey conducted between 2021-2023 of 829 active mining sites (representing over 132,320 artisanal miners), IPIS’ research provid
