Tanzania’s efforts to industrialize its mineral sector and shift from raw exports to value-added processing have received a major boost with the launch of the country’s first modern copper processing plant in Chunya District, Mbeya Region.
Operated by Mineral Access Systems Tanzania Ltd (MAST), the facility is redefining how Tanzania participates in the global minerals economy, particularly in the copper value chain that is critical for clean energy and modern technologies.
Established in 2011, MAST is a Tanzanian-owned firm with a strong presence in the regional mineral trade, particularly in strategic minerals such as copper, nickel and manganese.
The company has operated in various African markets, including Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe and South Africa.
In Tanzania, MAST has built strong relationships with small-scale miners, and its Chunya investment represents a culmination of over a decade of strategic groundwork in both mining and beneficiation.
The Chunya copper processing facility is the result of a joint investment exceeding USD 10 million between MAST and its strategic partner MCC, a company based in New York, USA.
The plant uses advanced leaching and cementation technologies to process low-grade copper ore, typically with copper content between 0.5 to 2 percent, into copper cement with a high concentration of up to 75 percent.
Currently, the plant has the capacity to process up to 31,200 tonnes of copper ore per month. Of this total, 27,200 tonnes come from MAST’s own mining operations, while 4,000 tonnes are sourced from small-scale miners across the country.
This sourcing model is significant as it provides artisanal and small-scale miners with a ready market, enabling them to participate meaningfully in the value chain and gain higher returns on their output.
MAST officials say the company is determined to support national efforts to formalize and integrate small-scale mining.
“We are creating a reliable domestic market for small-scale miners. This not only empowers communities economically but also helps formalize an important sector that has traditionally operated in the informal space,” a senior official from MAST said.
The economic impact of the plant is already visible in the Chunya District. So far, the facility has created 254 jobs, including 209 direct employees of MAST and 45 contract workers.
Of the total workforce, 205 are Tanzanians, and nearly 60 percent of them are from Mbeya Region.
The next development phase is expected to push employment to over 500 jobs, with a projected 95 percent Tanzanian workforce.
Government revenue has also started to benefit. From the first shipment of just 200 tonnes of copper cement, the government collected TZS 228 million in revenue, while the Chunya District Council earned more than TZS 9 million.
As output increases, these figures are expected to grow significantly, contributing to both local and national budgets.
In addition to its commercial operations, MAST has prioritized social investments in Chunya.
As part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), the company has rehabilitated 6 kilometers of village roads and constructed 11 kilometers of new roads to improve transportation within the mining zone.
The firm has also provided sports equipment to support youth development and social cohesion in the surrounding communities.
The success of the Chunya plant is serving as a model for expansion. MAST plans to establish three additional copper beneficiation facilities in Simanjiro (Manyara Region), Mbesa (Ruvuma Region), and Dodoma.
Each of the upcoming plants is expected to employ over 500 people and generate an economic impact of approximately USD 40 million annually.
These investments are aligned with the Sixth Phase Government’s broader policy under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, which prioritizes local value addition, employment generation, and inclusive economic growth.
Further demonstrating its commitment to strategic minerals, MAST is preparing to install additional processing machinery at the Chunya plant to handle nickel ores, both laterite and sulfide types.
This development is aligned with the government’s goal of ensuring all minerals mined within Tanzania undergo local value addition before export, as outlined in the Mineral Policy and other national development frameworks.
As of May 2025, the Ministry of Minerals, through the Mining Commission—had issued four licenses for copper beneficiation. Apart from the MAST plant in Chunya, other licensed facilities are located in Dar es Salaam, Iringa and Lindi.
This signals growing interest from investors in copper beneficiation, driven by rising global demand and Tanzania’s improved investment climate in the mining sector.
Tanzania’s copper potential is substantial but largely underexplored. According to geological data, the country has copper deposits spread across various regions, including Geita, Mara, Shinyanga, and Mwanza in the Lake Zone; Katavi, Rukwa, Kigoma, Mbeya, and Njombe in the Western Zone; Lindi and Ruvuma in the South; and Dodoma, Iringa and Morogoro in the Central Zone.
The global market dynamics further underline copper’s strategic relevance. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) ranks Chile, Peru, DRC, China and the US as the world’s top copper producers. In Africa, Zambia remains a continental leader.
As demand for copper surges, driven by its critical role in electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels and digital infrastructure, countries like Tanzania that develop local beneficiation capacity stand to gain significantly.
The rise of copper as the "metal of electrification" makes projects like MAST-Chunya increasingly important for Tanzania’s industrialization and energy transition plans. Copper’s unique properties, especially its conductivity and recyclability, make it indispensable in both traditional infrastructure and future-facing green technologies.
Chunya, historically a major gold-producing district, is now repositioning itself as a hub for copper beneficiation.
With the establishment of the MAST plant, the local economy is diversifying, and the region is emerging as a key node in the country’s broader mining and industrial ecosystem.
As Tanzania works to transform its natural resources into long-term economic gains, the Chunya copper plant offers a concrete example of how local investment, strategic partnerships, and supportive government policies can come together to create sustainable value.
For the business community, the government and Tanzanian citizens alike, this is a story of potential being realized—and a signal of what lies ahead for the nation’s mining future.