A total of 2,648 mineral exploration applications
have been canceled from October 2023 to July 2024 due to non-compliance with
the requirements set by the Mining Act Chapter 123.
The Mining Act Chapter 123 is a legal framework governing
the mining sector in Tanzania. This legislation regulates the exploration,
extraction, and management of mineral resources. It outlines the procedures and
requirements for obtaining various types of mining licenses, including
exploration and mining permits, and establishes the responsibilities of both
the government and private entities involved in the mining industry.
The announcement was made today, August 14, 2024, by the
Minister of Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, during a report to the Parliamentary
Committee on Energy and Minerals about the management and development of
licenses issued for mineral exploration and mining.
Minister Mavunde explained that the cancellations occurred
after it was discovered that the applicants did not genuinely intend to secure
exploration licenses. Instead, they were holding and hoarding the areas, thus
denying opportunities to those who were genuinely interested in developing
them.
Mavunde noted that the Mining Commission is currently
preparing guidelines and conditions for applying for these areas, aimed at
investors who are both willing and capable of investing in the mining sector.
Furthermore, Mavunde revealed that the Ministry, through the
Mining Commission, has continued to issue violation notices to license holders
for breaches of their license conditions under the Mining Act Chapter 123. A
total of 110 mineral exploration licenses, 13 intermediate mining licenses, and
2 mineral processing licenses have been issued violation notices.
Earlier, while presenting a report to the Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Minerals, Acting Executive Secretary of the Mining Commission, Engineer Ramadhani Lwambo, reported that between October 2023 and July 2024, the Mining Commission issued one large-scale mining license, 20 intermediate mining licenses, and 7,974 small-scale mining licenses across various regions in the country.
