Tanzania Minerals Minister directs mining blocks reserved for youth, women
Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde hands over a booklet detailing the Building a Better Tomorrow – Mining (BBT-M) programme on Monday, August 31, 2026. The BBT-M is designed to empower youth, women, and persons with disabilities. PHOTO | BELDINA NYAKEKE
Tarime. Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde has urged Tanzanians to abandon superstitions surrounding the mining sector, attributing financial ruin among miners to speculative extraction rather than witchcraft.
Speaking in Tarime District, Mara Region, on Monday, August 31, 2026, during the launch of the Building Better Tomorrow–Mining (BBT-M) Programme, Mr Mavunde said the government is deploying scientific exploration to eliminate guesswork.
During the event, the minister launched a Barrick North Mara Gold Mine exploration aircraft and directed it to survey the Majimoto small-scale mining site in Butiama District.
He noted that miners frequently default on loans after investing in small gold reefs that run out unexpectedly.
“A miner speculates on a gold-bearing reef and takes out a loan, but the reef is small. Once the loan is invested, the reef suddenly dries up. As creditors pursue repayment, houses and cars are auctioned, leading the miner to break down and blame superstition,” he said.
To solve this, Mr Mavunde said comprehensive exploration is needed to quantify deposits before mining begins.
He said over the past century, the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) has mapped only 16 percent of the country's minerals.
“The government has recognised this obstacle and allocated 10 percent of mining sector revenues to exploration,” said Mr Mavunde.
Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde inside a Barrick North Mara Gold Mine aircraft designated for mineral exploration in Tarime District, Mara Region on Monday, August 31, 2026. PHOTO | BELDINA NYAKEKE
He instructed Regional Mines Officers to reserve mining blocks for youth, women, and persons with disabilities, adding that officers will be evaluated on their allocation of licences to these special groups.
Mara Regional Commissioner, Brigadier General Evans Mtambi, welcomed the shift away from consulting diviners, predicting the emergence of young and female billionaires in Mara as mining, agriculture, livestock, and fishing are integrated scientifically.
Program Coordinator, Mr Amini Msuya, stated that the five-year initiative (2025–2030) aims to solve capital and technology deficits, ensuring marginalized groups become direct owners and beneficiaries of mineral wealth.
Barrick Tanzania Country Manager, Dr Melkior Ngindo, affirmed that the mine would surrender any explored areas unfit for large-scale operations back to the government for small-scale miners.
Local youth representative, Mr Joachim Mnyaro, noted that target groups require capital, modern equipment, and training rather than sympathy to drive economic growth.
