Tanzanite worth 3.23bn/- produced in 3 months

MANYARA: TANZANITE worth 3.23bn/- was produced in Mirerani, Manyara Region, between July and September this year, with total output reaching 274,634.32 grammes, the government has announced.

Resident Mines Officer (RMO) for the Mirerani Mining Authority, George Kaseza, said the performance during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year reflected improved oversight by the Ministry of Minerals and cooperation between mine owners and his office.

He provided the updates while briefing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals during its recent visit to Tanzanite mines within the Mirerani security wall in Simanjiro District.

Mr Kaseza said official Tanzanite sales generated 148.07bn/- in government revenue during the 2025/26 financial year, which ended in June this year.

He added that the mining sector collected approximately 1.394tri/- against an annual target of 1.4tri/- in government revenue in the previous financial year.

The sector is targeting 1.5tri/- in revenue collection in the current financial year, with closer monitoring of production expected to strengthen accountability and curb revenue leakages.

The introduction of camera-equipped hard hats for mining inspectors earlier this year has enhanced monitoring of mining operations, according to Mr Kaseza.

The technology enables inspectors to record activities during site inspections and verify mineral production before consignments are sealed.

The footage can also be accessed at ministry level, helping improve oversight and transparency. He said the Mirerani mining area was equipped with 310 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and 573 security lights.

The security wall was completed in April 2018, while the Mirerani mineral market was established in 2021. On production and valuation, Mr Kaseza said that Tanzanite beads accounted for 8,622,049.36 grammes, valued at 95.83m/-, while another category of Tanzanite recorded 20,562.35 grammes, worth 16.73m/-.

Regarding trade, he said auctions held in May during the 2025/26 financial year provided opportunities for small- and largescale traders to sell their gemstones.

The auction for small-scale traders on May 15 recorded sales of 2,809.31 grammes, while the May 21 auction for large-scale traders recorded 10,174.92 grammes.

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Committee Chairperson Subira Mgalu said the visit aimed to assess mining, trading and value-addition activities involving Tanzanite within the security wall.

She commended the RMO for his efforts in collecting government revenue, particularly from Tanzanite, and urged him to strengthen daily operations to ensure the gemstone contributes more to national income.

Meanwhile, Manyara Regional Miners Association (MAREMA) Chairperson Elisha Mnyawi appealed to the government to ensure that the entrance and exit gate to the mining area operates around the clock.

He said miners were currently prohibited from bringing work equipment into the area after 6 p.m., a restriction he argued could limit mining activities and reduce potential government revenue.

MAREMA Mirerani Branch Chairperson Samwel Rugemalila commended the government for measures taken to improve the mining sector, saying the initiatives had encouraged miners to work towards common goals.

Tanzanite traders’ representative within the Mirerani security wall, Magreth Nelson, also praised the government for reinstating mineral auctions in Mirerani, saying the initiative had enabled traders to sell gemstones transparently under competitive pricing conditions.