Biteko: GGML’s 1bn/- carbon filter would raise revenue

IN a strategy to protect the environment and support the government’s efforts in making Tanzania become an industrialised nation by 2025, Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML) has purchased a 1bn/- carbon generated filter in gold mining activities.

Making the revelation during the National Mining Exhibition in Geita region, GGML Vice-President (Sustainability Projects for Tanzania and Ghana), Mr Simon Shayo while briefing the Minister for Minerals, Dr Dotto Biteko during visiting its pavilion. He further said the machine will ease work and in turn increase income for the company and country as a whole.

“This carbon removal project helps us to ensure that we don’t throw away gold and carbon dioxide residues into the environment… because the whole world is fighting to reduce carbon dioxide,” he pointed out.

Mr Shayo further said the move makes Tanzania to become the first and only country in the East and Central Africa region to acquire the machine, whose assistance was previously being sought in South Africa.

He added: “We informed the Minister of Minerals, Dotto Biteko about the machine during his visits to the company in Geita region to familiarize with the activities and progress of GGML after starting underground mining activities in its three mines.”

Welcoming the move, Dr Biteko narrated how in the past carbon that was produced in the existing mines in the country was being exported abroad.

“We stopped people from thinking that we are doing something wrong, now GGML has installed a new plant that has cost 1bn/- to reprocess the gold carbons and get pure gold instead of transporting the carbon abroad,” he said.

He said apart from income benefits that the country gets, many people have also been employed in the plant and eke out a living as employees to overcome poverty.

“But secondly, the technology of these carbons that are produced in other mines will be processed here, considering that the carbon contains gold. In some places you can see that the carbon was being thrown away as wastes.

Therefore we will get more income,” he said, adding: “There is no other mine that has developed a plant to filter carbon in East and Central Africa, so we have become leaders of this technology, I commend GGML for this idea.”

On his part, Geita Urban Member of Parliament, Mr Constantine Kanyasu, praised the company for the step it took to ensure that it expands the scope of advanced processing of gold and creation of employment for Tanzanians.

“For example, when we talk about local content, we wanted it to be local for the Tanzanians, I can see that influence is successful because now in many places, I have seen the participation of Geita people in various activities of the mine economy,” he said.