KIGALI, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government has halted mining activities at two concessions in Rwamagana district eastern Rwanda following Monday's accident in the district that claimed 14 lives, Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) said Monday evening.
Fourteen miners were killed on Monday in a cassiterite mine accident in Mwulire sector, Rwamagana district, eastern Rwanda, after a weak mine cliff caved in and collapsed.
The board has halted mining at Mushya and Ntunga concessions in Rwamagana district as it is investigating the cause of the accident and taking measures to avoid similar accidents in the future, said CEO of RMB Francis Gatare on the national TV station Rwanda Television.
The accident is the first with such death toll in the country, he said, attributing recent mining accidents in the central African country to heavy rains.
He also appealed to mining companies to adopt best practices in mining in order to prevent accidents.
The cabinet member had said the small central African country aims to generate 800 million U.S. dollars by 2020 and 1.5 billion dollars by 2024 from mineral export revenues.
