More than 4,000 mining licenses are being issued in Mbogwe, a mining region in Geita, with both local residents and foreign investors urged to take advantage of the opportunities available.
Mbogwe’s Mining Officer, Engineer Jeremiah Hango, shared that licenses have already been allocated in several areas, including Nyamikonze, where 81 licenses were given to small-scale miners, and Mwamakiliga, where 27 licenses were set aside.
Bukombe village has 140 licenses, and the licensing process in Kigosi is ongoing, with nearly 4,000 more licenses being distributed.
Engineer Hango emphasized that the process is still ongoing, and if the opportunities are properly used, the government could collect significant revenue.
He reminded license holders to make use of their licenses, especially those for exploration, or they risk having their licenses revoked and given to others.
He also pointed out that government revenue from the mining sector has steadily increased since the region was established in 2021.
In the 2021/2022 financial year, Mbogwe collected 21 billion Tanzanian shillings, rising to 22 billion in 2022/2023, and 27 billion in 2023/2024.
This year, 22 billion has already been collected, and the government is confident it will surpass last year’s total by year-end.
Engineer Hango added that 90% of the minerals mined in Mbogwe are gold, with some construction minerals also being extracted.
The majority of the revenue comes from Nyang’wale district, where large-scale mining is concentrated. The government is also working to support miners in utilizing these opportunities.
There are additional opportunities for mineral trade, with two markets in Nyang’wale and Masumbwe. Large-scale traders are encouraged to apply for licenses.
Furthermore, there are opportunities to build mineral processing plants, and miners are being urged to shift from using mercury to more sustainable processing methods like CIP plants.
