Our region is being directly threatened by a private mining company called Ionic Rare Earths, locally called Rwenzori Rare looking to extract minerals from the soil under ROWAN. This mining project is called, “The Makuutu Project.” From recent reports from Ionic:
“Makuutu is owned 100% by Ugandan registered Rwenzori Rare Metals Limited (RRM) which at the time was owned 85% by South African registered Rare Earth Elements Africa Proprietary Limited (REEA). IonicRE has entered into a binding option agreement with both companies that enables it to acquire up to a 60% direct interest in RRM, and thereby up to a 60% indirect interest in Makuutu. It was announced on Ionic’s website in April that:
Ionic Rare Earths signs milestone non-binding MOU with global rare earth giant Chinalco
Chinalco is the world’s largest rare earth miner and separator by market capitalization *The parties to cooperate to accelerate mine development and production of the Makuutu Rare Earth Project including potential off take agreements and Project funding *Attracting Chinalco is a significant endorsement of the Makuutu Project as a globally strategic long-life supply of critical and heavy rare earths…Read more
Kelsey traveled to Uganda to meet with the Rwenzori Rare Metals manager and to partner with other local leaders, churches, and NGOs on the ground to explore the best way forward for our community.
Our goal? We sought to collaborate and find a way to preserve the dignity of the thousands (later learned that it is millions) of people who would be displaced by this mining endeavor.
Listen to Kelsey break down more details here: (If you’re familiar with ROWAN, start the video at about 11 minutes 38 seconds. The first 11 minutes contain the origin story of ROWAN, while the details of the crisis start at about 13 minutes 20 seconds.)
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