Illegal extraction of Critical Raw Materials remains a major risk to global supply chains, especially in informal Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) environments common in post-conflict regions. The Raw Material Radar project’s (RMR) goal was to prove that this could be remedied by combining IoT tools, blockchain traceability and on-site training. The project demonstrated that transparent and responsible supply chains are achievable, even in highly challenging contexts in Liberia. Although the project hasn’t been fully scaled yet, the pilot has highlighted very important lessons and learnings. This blog summarises the major results and ways to further improve traceability and responsibility of the local mineral supply chains as a joint effort of business, government and local communities.
Challenges with ASM in Africa
ASM plays a vital social and economic role in many African countries, but it is often unregulated, environmentally harmful and socially risky. Fragmented data and lack of trust, transactions reliable only on verbal agreements and disputes over value of minerals aren’t rare. These factors prevent many African mining sectors from scaling and having a trusted market, such as the EU. Liberia is no exception. RMR, a EU-funded project, was seeking to change those issues by piloting integrated technical traceability solutions based on IoT and blockchain technology so local mineral supply chains have an opportunity to become more transparent and able to meet strict international regulations.
Its integrated kits include:
- Smart IoT scales for precise, tamper-proof mineral weighing
- GPS-enabled tracking for location verification
- Blockchain-based digital records for secure, immutable data logging
- Training and mentoring programs to build local capacity and promote fair trade
- Expert support for implementation, reporting, and stakeholder engagement
The goal is simple yet transformative: to enable responsible ASM production that benefits miners, protects communities, and meets EU market expectations.
Social Licence to Operate
No major infrastructure or mining project can succeed without local acceptance, participation, and trust. A Social License to Operate (SLO) has been a crucial part of the project. A Social License to Operate is the ongoing approval of communities, miners, cooperatives, NGOs, regulators, and buyers. It cannot be bought or mandated — it must be earned through respectful engagement, transparent communication, demonstrated benefits and long-term commitment. An SLO was at the core of the project from the very beginning – the ECTerra team (along with support from other partners of the RMR project) investigated efficient engagement strategies, and risk-benefit frameworks to help stakeholders implement new systems responsibly and collaboratively. One of the outcomes of the project is the SLO Manual that collects the best practices to engage mining communities in the region.
Engagement with local communities has already started. One of the major milestones during the final year of the project was training on UN Sustainable Development Goals. 264 artisanal and small-scale miners have now been trained on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The training was delivered by a Liberian NGO facilitator, supported by RMR’s SDG expert. This “local capacity first” model ensures long-term knowledge transfer and community ownership.
The SLO Manual includes initiatives and ideas on how to engage the community further.
Pilot Testing RMR in Liberia: A Real-World Stress Test
Liberia presents one of the most challenging operating environments in the world: heavy rainy seasons, poor infrastructure, decentralized mining, and trust-based trading networks with little documentation. These conditions made it the ideal testing ground to evaluate the feasibility of RMR’s digital tools.
The RMR project included two pilot stages with one clear objective: proving if digital traceability and data transparency is possible in fully informal and tough ASM conditions in Liberia.
The technical prototype development and first pilot phase were described earlier, in this blog.
The second pilot ran from July to October 2025 and was focused on the artisanal tantalum supply chain, operated by independent miners and sub-traders rather than cooperatives. Each transaction was recorded digitally using RMR smart scales and mobile devices that logged:
- Weight
- GPS location
- Ownership transfers
All data was automatically stored on a secure blockchain, creating a verifiable tamper-proof supply chain record from mine to buyer.
Key Pilot Findings
1. Technical Feasibility
RMR worked even without formal cooperatives, demonstrating adaptability to highly informal markets. Users appreciated the accuracy of the system and the reduction in disputes.
2. Transparency
Miners supported transparency within the market but were wary of transparency toward government authorities. Many feared increased taxation or misuse of data. This highlights the need for clear data-protection safeguards and trust-building with institutions.
3. Need for Financial Incentives
While the system improves fairness, miners noted that digital processes add steps without immediate economic reward. Future scaling will require:
- Premium payments
- Lower transaction fees
- Faster payments
- Market-based incentives tied to traceability
4. Commercial Potential
Although the pilot was limited in scale, the RMR project proved that technical equipment can improve transaction speed, data reliability, accountability, and what’s even more important, trust between miners and traders that was relying only on verbal agreements. These improvements can support access to higher-value international markets that demand traceable, responsibly sourced minerals.
5. Social Impact
RMR helped miners reflect on compliance, reporting, and environmental practices, even though it does not directly change extraction methods. It also created new digital roles within communities, contributing to employment diversification.
Challenges and Barriers to Scaling
The pilot revealed that digital traceability in ASM is not just a technological shift, it is a social and institutional transformation.
Key obstacles include:
- Low digital literacy
- Unreliable electricity and internet
- Cost and maintenance of digital tools
- Regulatory frameworks not designed for digital traceability
- Need for long-term trust building across decentralized networks
Scaling RMR will require a coordinated effort between technology providers, government agencies, NGOs, and local mining organizations.
Based on the Liberia pilot, three conditions are critical for successful large-scale adoption:
1. Financial Incentives for transparency,
2. Institutional safeguards and;
3. Continued community engagement.
If these conditions are met, RMR could become a cornerstone of Liberia’s transition to a transparent, equitable and internationally recognized ASM sector.
By combining blockchain, IoT, SDG capacity building, and human-centered engagement, RMR is paving the way for responsible mining, fairer trade, greater market access, stronger community resilience and transparent global supply chains.
This pilot is only the beginning. With continued collaboration across West Africa and beyond, RMR has the potential to reshape how the world sources its most critical minerals ethically, transparently, and sustainably.
