Solution in sight to miner woes

DAILY NEWS Reporters in Dodoma

Deputy Minister of Energy and Minerals Medard Kalemani.

THE mining block conflicts between small-scale and big mining companies is set to come to an end as the Ministry of Energy and minerals will starting October this year, demarcate mining areas between the two groups.

The announcement was made in the National Assembly here by the Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals, Dr Medard Kalemani, who said that the government will conduct the demarcating exercise countrywide in October in all mining areas.

He was responding to Ms Lolesia Bukwimba (Busanda-CCM) who wanted to know when exactly the small-scale miners at Kataza, Nyarugusu, Nyaruyeye and Kaseme areas will be awarded the mining blocks promised by the government.

Dr Kalemani said his ministry is prepared to end the mining land conflicts and the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) is going on with evaluation of mining areas so that fair allocation is made in the best interest of both sides.

He also had good news for local miners. He said that in September, this year, the government will construct an 800,000 US dollar mining processing plant at Rwangasa where the main beneficiaries will be gold miners.

Dr Kalemani said that big mining companies have donated 200,000 US dollars to accomplish the envisaged investment. Plant construction will be completed in May next year.

He added that the government is in discussions with Buckreef Gold Company Limited and ARL Gold Tanzania Limited whose mining licences expire next year to see into the possibility of giving away some of the mining areas to small-scale miners of Nyarugusu.

“The government is in discussions with a number of mining companies that hold mining licences in Nyaruyeye and Kaseme to see if they can give part of their areas to small-scale miners at Nyarugusu,” said Dr Kalemani.