Tanzania just dropped major reforms to protect small-scale miners from getting screwed over by license holders and foreign investors. Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde told people in Nyang'hwale District that the new rules stop the common scam where locals dig up gold, and then license owners kick them out to bring in bigger money. The sector has pulled in about 1 trillion shillings for the government, with roughly 40 percent coming from small-scale operations.
The updated Mining Act makes it illegal to rent out primary mining licenses or casually let people dig without proper contracts. License holders have to register everyone working their blocks with the Mining Commission, and if they want to boot out small miners later, they need to pay compensation and give those miners first dibs on any new investment deals. Youth leaders complained that young workers do most of the labor but get treated like disposable help.
The government already canceled licenses covering 741,000 acres that were just sitting unused, and officials are reviewing 191 more exploration permits in the Geita-Mbogwe area to hand them over to actual productive miners.
The updated Mining Act makes it illegal to rent out primary mining licenses or casually let people dig without proper contracts. License holders have to register everyone working their blocks with the Mining Commission, and if they want to boot out small miners later, they need to pay compensation and give those miners first dibs on any new investment deals. Youth leaders complained that young workers do most of the labor but get treated like disposable help.
The government already canceled licenses covering 741,000 acres that were just sitting unused, and officials are reviewing 191 more exploration permits in the Geita-Mbogwe area to hand them over to actual productive miners.
