Production, refining and reserves
| Commodity | Metric | Value | World rank · share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tin | Mine production 2022 | 7 t Sn content | #22 · 0% | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (tin, tables-only release), table 9 |
| Tungsten | Mine production 2020 | 11 t W content | #18 · 0% | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2021 (tungsten), table 15 |
| Niobium | Mine production 2021 | 7.2 t Nb content | — | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2020-21, The Mineral Industry of Uganda, table 1 (advance data release) |
| Tantalum | Mine production 2022 | 38 t Ta content | — | USGS MCS 2023 |
| Lead | Refinery production 2021 | 800 t Pb (secondary refinery) | — | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2020-21, The Mineral Industry of Uganda, table 1 (advance data release) |
| Beryllium | Mine production 2024 | 1 t Be content | — | USGS MCS 2025 |
| Iron ore | Mine production 2018 | 4,500 t iron ore (gross weight) | — | USGS Minerals Yearbook 2020-21, The Mineral Industry of Uganda, table 1 (advance data release) |
| Soda ash | Reserves 2015 | 20 million t sodium carbonate (natural) | #5 · 0.1% | USGS MCS 2016 |
| Pumice and pumicite | Mine production 2025 | 830,000 t pumice and pumicite | #6 · 4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Vermiculite | Mine production 2025 | 20,000 t vermiculite | #7 · 4% | USGS MCS 2026 |
Policies and export measures
Policy tracker →Date n/a · trade measure
Mining and Minerals Act, 2022
Replaces the Mining Act 2003 and sets up the Uganda National Mining Company. It requires a licence to process, smelt, refine or trade minerals and a permit for every mineral export, lets the Minister designate strategic minerals by statutory instrument, and gives the state a free interest of up to 15% in large and medium-scale mining licences, with total state participation capped at 35%.
Source: Republic of Uganda (Parliament Library copy of the assented Act); hosted by FAOLEX
Trade in critical minerals
Exports 2024$4 m
- Tin$3 mto Luxembourg 76%, South Africa 12%, Germany 11%
- Copper$254 kto Kenya 100%
- Tungsten$246 kto China 100%
- Tantalum*$223 kto China 100%, South Korea 0%
- Aluminium$218 kto Malaysia 44%, Kenya 43%, India 13% · 2 more
- Lithium*$208 kto Japan 96%, China 3%, Netherlands 0% · 7 more
- Graphite (natural)$104 kto China 99%, Burundi 1%
- Zinc$70 kto Indonesia 73%, Rwanda 27%
and 4 more commodities
Imports 2024$55 m
- Aluminium$23 mfrom United Arab Emirates 29%, India 25%, Kenya 11% · 18 more
- Copper$8 mfrom Dem. Rep. Congo 64%, S. Sudan 34%, Zambia 2% · 3 more
- Zinc$8 mfrom India 91%, China 6%, Belgium 2% · 1 more
- Manganese$7 mfrom Zambia 50%, India 23%, Tanzania 19% · 6 more
- Potash$4 mfrom Kenya 64%, Germany 21%, Qatar 8% · 7 more
- Zirconium (zircon)$1 mfrom China 96%, India 4%
- Barite$918 kfrom China 74%, Kenya 26%
- Lead$491 kfrom China 100%, France 0%, Kenya 0%
and 21 more commodities
Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.
Fiscal regime for mining
| Instrument | Applies to | Rate | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | All mineralsAll minerals obtained in prospecting, exploration or mining are subject to royalty at rates prescribed by the Minister (with the Minister of Finance) by statutory instrument; collected by the Uganda Revenue Authority; shared under Schedule 2 of the Act. Test samples exempt up to a value set by regulation | —gross value of minerals produced, based on the prevailing market price (s. 180(1)) | Mining and Minerals Act, 2022 (Uganda) · s. 180-181; Schedule 2 |
| Corporate income tax (mining) | All mineralsCorporation tax 30% for companies, applied to holders of mining rights; withholding tax 6% on payments to resident contractors of a licensee and 10% on service fees to non-residents; 100% accelerated depreciation during exploration. Royalties are assessed by the DGSM and collected by URA (regimes-3.csv) | 30%chargeable income (gross income less allowable deductions); deductions of a licensee ring-fenced to each licence area | Income Tax Act (revised edition cited by the Ministry of Finance as the Income Tax Act, 2024) · s. 90(3) and Schedule 4 Part VII para. 1; ring-fencing s. 91(1) |
Rates and terms as set in the cited law or regulation; agreements with individual projects can differ. Not legal or tax advice.
Mines and facilities (7)
- African Panther tin mine (Isingiro, ML1433)Mine · In production · Western RegionTin
- Kilembe MinesMine · Care & maintenance · Western RegionCopper, Cobalt
- Makuutu Heavy Rare Earths ProjectProject · DevelopmentRare earths
- Nyamuliro wolfram mineMine · Care & maintenance · Western RegionTungsten
- Orom-Cross Graphite ProjectProject · Development · Northern RegionGraphite (natural)
- Sukulu phosphate operationMine · In production · Eastern RegionPhosphate rock
- Wampewo coltan mineMine · In production · Central RegionTantalum, Niobium
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