Global gold body backs TZ’s small-scale miners
DAR ES SALAAM: THE World Gold Council (WGC) has expressed readiness to partner with Tanzania to strengthen the country’s mining sector, particularly through capacity building for small-scale miners, technological support and improved market access.
The commitment was made during a consultative meeting on Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) formalisation initiatives between the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) and WGC Chief Executive Officer, David Tait, held in Dar es Salaam.
The Tanzanian delegation was led by the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), Professor Kitila Mkumbo. Other officials present included the Minister for Minerals Mr Anthony Mavunde, Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Youth Development, Dr Joel Nanauka and Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Mavunde described the WGC as a globallyrespected institution in the gold industry, saying its willingness to collaborate with Tanzania marks a significant step toward strengthening the mining sector, particularly the ASGM segment.
He noted that Tanzania ranks among Africa’s top five gold-producing countries, but emphasised that greater benefits could be realised if small-scale miners are supported with access to geological data, financing and modern technology.
“The World Gold Council has recognised Tanzania as one of the few African countries with a strong and structured framework for working with smallscale miners. Our Mining Act, Cap 123, provides for special licences dedicated to small-scale miners, which demonstrates our commitment to formalisation and inclusive growth,” he said.
He added that the council is ready to collaborate with Tanzania and other stakeholders to conduct advanced geological surveys using satellite technology to identify areas with mineral potential, an approach aimed at reducing speculative mining and improving productivity.
Through high-resolution airborne geophysical surveys, he said, the government plans to map at least 50 per cent of the country’s land area by 2030, providing reliable data to guide small-scale miners and investors.
“Our ambition is to see the mining sector’s contribution to the national GDP increase from the current 10.1 per cent to even higher levels,” he said.
He further disclosed that a joint roadmap will be developed between the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), the Ministry of Minerals and the WGC to fast-track implementation of agreed initiatives and attract further investment.
“With reduced bureaucracy and strong institutional collaboration, Tanzanians should expect increased investment and accelerated growth in the mining sector, especially in small-scale gold production,” he added.
For his part, Mr Tait commended Tanzania for its progress in formalising and improving artisanal and small-scale gold mining, describing the country as a potential global benchmark.
He stressed the importance of traceability in the gold sector, advocating for technology that tracks gold from mine sites to processing plants. Such systems, he said, would ensure miners receive optimal yields while integrating their output into formal channels, thereby boosting transparency and investor confidence.
“There is too much fragmentation in the gold market. We need a standardised process to give international investors’ confidence to invest in Tanzania and other countries,” he said.
Mr Tait highlighted key initiatives required to support this vision, including customs orientation, education, formalised purchasing systems and adoption of gold-sourcing technology. He expressed enthusiasm about partnering with the Tanzanian Government to implement these measures and position the country as a global model for artisanal gold mining.
Prof Mkumbo reiterated Tanzania’s commitment to promoting local value addition in the mining sector and welcomed the WGC’s readiness to support the initiative.
He said the country remains committed to attracting further investment in mining, which continues to play a key role in the national economy, particularly in gold production. Key areas of discussion included the development of centralised mineral processing plants to improve gold recovery rates and environment compliance, as well as deployment of gold origin verification technology to enhance traceability and market access.
The meeting also discussed ongoing engagements between the WGC Central Banks Team and the Bank of Tanzania regarding domestic gold-buying programmes targeting ASGM producers.
