.jpeg)
By Our Reporter
The Tanzania Geological Survey (GST) board has ordered the contractor building a modern minerals testing laboratory in Kizota, Dodoma, to accelerate construction to ensure the project is completed on schedule.
The board, chaired by Yokberth Myumbilwa, issued the directive during an inspection of the government-funded project on October 22, 2026, as it assessed progress and compliance with contractual requirements.
Ms Myumbilwa stressed the need for the contractor to follow the work plan and meet the agreed deadlines, saying the laboratory would strengthen GST’s capacity to analyse mineral and rock samples.
She also directed GST management to closely monitor construction, ensure the contractor follows the updated work schedule and take appropriate action if delays occur.
Providing an update, GST chief executive engineer Ally Samaje said the project was being financed by the government, with the construction contract scheduled for completion in September 2027.
Once completed, the laboratory is expected to become one of the largest mineral testing facilities in East and Central Africa, with the capacity to analyse a wider range of minerals using modern technology and equipment.
Mr Samaje said the facility would reduce the need to send some mineral samples abroad for testing, potentially lowering costs and making laboratory services more accessible to mining companies, investors and other stakeholders.
The investment is also expected to strengthen the country’s geological research infrastructure and improve the availability of reliable mineral analysis results to inform exploration and investment decisions.
For miners and investors, access to modern testing services within Tanzania could help simplify the process of analysing geological samples and reduce dependence on foreign laboratories.
The board said it would continue monitoring the project to ensure the facility was completed to the required standards and delivered the intended benefits to the country’s mining sector.
However, the latest inspection statement did not specify the percentage of construction completed or the extent of any delays against the original work schedule.