What is "walikale"

Walikale is a town in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is the administrative center of the Walikale Territory.

Walikale is home to the largest tin deposits in the Congo and to some very large gold mines, as well. In particular, the Bisie mine is supposed to account for somewhere between 50 and 80% of tin exports from North Kivu. The control of Bisie mine is a main source of contention within the Congolese army, as it provides for upwards of $100,000 a month in taxes for local soldiers, which does not include the individual pits that some commanders control and kickbacks they get from trading houses.