Artisanal miners to get training on safety

SYLIVESTER DOMASA

THE State Mining Corporation (STAMICO) intends to introduce six mining sites to train artisanal miners to improve occupational safety and health.

The six mining sites will be a pilot project to enhance the safety and health of the nation’s artisanal miners, STAMICO Acting Managing Director, Mr Deusdedith Magala, said.

“The tide of safety concerns in mining sites is still disturbing; however, more efforts have been done to end the problem. We’re now recording minor injuries which are normal,” he said.

The mining regulator has resolved to introduce the sites in Kagera, Mwanza, Musoma, Singida and Mbeya to offer health and safety training to small-scale miners. Mr Magala said the plan has been earmarked for the 2016/17 financial year.

“We’re working with the state owned mining company--StamiGold to ensure we meet international standards,” he said.

StamiGold Chief Geologist, Ayoub Nyenzi, told reporters at the ongoing Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) that the two-year-old gold mining company has demonstrated positive trends in promoting safety and health of its workforce.

The firm produced 37,355 ores of gold last year valued at 44 million US dollars, thanks to investment made by the government. “We’re having good trends. For the two years, we have as well managed to inject 93,000 US dollars in the five villages surrounding the mining site in Biharamulo,” he said.