Since independence, the
Government has taken several steps to develop the mineral sector. After
1967, the Government adopted state directed development strategies and
thus there were limited private owned investments directed to the mining
industry. With the changes in macro
economic policy of the country to adopt free market economic policies in
early 1990s, many foreign and local investors have returned to the mining
scene. In 1992 there were only 10 Prospecting Licences and 9 Mining
Licences. Today there are over 3000 Prospecting Licenses and over 190 Mining
Licenses.
Artesian Miners
Artesian mining activities have always existed in Tanzania. In the late
1980s the Government organized a series of minerial
associations to transform and upgrade artesian mining into organized and
modernized mining, principally in gold and gemstones. This move coincided
with a major increase in artesian mining activity, which is estimated to
employ over 500,000 people (Tan Discovery, 1995). The enactment of the
Mining Act, 1998, which ensure transparency and fairness in licensing
procedures, has minimized the
Number of illegal mining and trading of minerals in the
country.
Technical Terms Peculiar to Tanzania.
These are words peculiar to Tanzania and surrounding
areas, which may be found in technical reports.
Anyolite:
A green rock which is the host for ruby (red gem
corundum) at several places Tanzania, including the Longido Mine north of
Arusha. Anyolite takes its name from anyoli the Maasai word for green.
Technically, anyolite is composed of green chrominium rich zoisite,
tschermarkitic amphibole (an aluminium rich hornblende), plus anorthite
feldspar, with or without corundum. Due to its striking green colour, anyolite has some use as an ornamental stone.
Kikungu.
Red silty soil, typical of weathered gravels of stream
terraces.
Lamb:
A sluggish, intermittent watercourse.
Malaya.
Trade name for orange to
reddish orange garnet
(of the pyralspite family), first mined in the 1970s in north east Tanzania
and adjacent Kenya. From Swahili work for trash or whore, because it was
original discarded when recovering other gems.Synonymous with umbalite.
Mbuga.
A flat spot or slight depression which collects water during
the rainy season, and is covered by sparse vegetation and a spongy black
cotton soil, rich in clays and organic matter.
Miombo.
A distinctive assemblage of vegetation consisting of medium
height grass with a scattering of individual or small clumps of acacia
trees.
Murram.
Crushed or pisolitic indurated laterite, used as
an aggregate material for topping of earthern roads and similar purposes.
Tanzanite.
A trade name for a gem variety of the mineral zoisite, with a deep blue colour containing a hint of purple. Zoisite is a
member of the epidote group, formula Ca2Al3OH . (SiO4)3.
Tsavorite.
Trade name for gem quality green grossulite garnet, mined in
and around Tsavo National Park in Kenya. It is also found in lesser
quantities in Tanzania.