Small-scale scale mineral miners in Katavi Region produced various types of minerals including gold worth 426.2m/- between January and October, this year.
Katavi Regional Commissioner, Dr Rajab Rutengwe
The Katavi Regional Commissioner, Dr Rajab Rutengwe, said when reading development reports on implementation of the projects undertaken by the Energy and Minerals Sector in the region.
He was presenting the report to the Energy and Mineral Minister, Prof. Sospeter Muhongo, who was on three days working tour in Rukwa and Katavi regions.
The minister was further briefed that during the period under review the miners got 4,391.75 grams of gold worth 234,531,652- while the middle scale miners produced 111 tonnes of copper worth 27, 775,000/-.
A further 50.32 tonnes of galena worth of 40,365,000/- were produced and 4,173 tonnes of minerals for construction worth of 122,471,333/- were realized.
The Minister was further told that about 967 artisans and middle miners have written applications in bid to be issued mining licences in the areas which has been endowed with enormous richness of minerals.
“Currently the process of issuing mining licences has been improved by the Ministry (Energy and Mineral Resources) as now we are linked to cyber, following this modern technology in the last fiscal year about 4,215 mining licence applications including those of 2008 were processed.
That means now, only 28 days will be taken for those who will apply for mining licences to get their replies, added Dr Rutengwe.
The RC also told the minister about the challenges which artisans in the region are facing including lack of working capital, the long distance for them to market their products and the poor condition of the road network particularly Mpanda – Karema road.
By PETI SIYAME, Tanzania Daily News
