Govt unveils strategy to boost value addition in critical minerals
DODOMA: MINISTER for Minerals, Mr Anthony Mavunde said yesterday that the government is continuing to take concrete steps toward genuine transformation of the mining sector by officially initiating a strategy for value addition to the critical minerals found in the country.
Speaking during the official launch of the Tanzania Critical Minerals Value Addition Study (Manufacturing Africa – Critical Minerals Value Addition Study), at a ceremony held in Dodoma, the Minister said it is a significant step toward achieving the nation’s goal of processing critical minerals.
The meeting was also attended by the British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Marianne Young, stakeholders from the mining sector, investors and other representatives.
He said: “The study is a significant step toward achieving the nation’s goal of processing critical minerals and implementing the strategy locally up to the final product stage for both domestic and international use.”
He added that President Samia Suluhu Hassan has instructed for the establishment of a strategy to add value to critical minerals found in the country.
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“We aim at utilising our minerals as a foundation for building an industrial economy and to expand opportunities for employment and technology,” said Mr Mavunde.
He said Tanzania is blessed with abundant critical mineral resources such as nickel, graphite, rare earth elements and lithium.
“These are minerals that are fundamental to modern technologies, electric vehicles and renewable energy globally,” he explained.
For her part, the British High Commissioner, Ms Young, said the report is part of the collaboration between the two nations across various sectors, including the mining sector.
She added that the UK’s Geological and Mining Research Institute’s strategy are collaborating with Tanzania’s Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) in exchanging expertise in advanced mineral research.
