Tanzania: Graphite Mining Set to Start in Lindi Soon
13th March 2019 https://allafrica.com/stories/201903130847.html
"LINDI is set to start graphite mining after a recent exploration process established presence of the mineral in the southern region.
The Regional Commissioner, Mr Godfrey Zambi, confirmed to the 'Daily News' that two mining companies, including Pacco Gem, are preparing to construct graphite mines in Ruangwa District, which he said was endowed with such minerals.
The region's boss expressed optimism that graphite mining would start at any time this year. Composed exclusively of the element carbon, according to Minerals.net, graphite is mostly used for making phone batteries, some parts of planes, pencils, brake linings, foundry facings and lubricants.
At the end of last year, Tanzania Mining Commission Executive Secretary Prof Shukrani Manya was quoted as saying that the government had issued licences to five graphite mining firms in Ruangwa.
The firms are Uranex, Walkabout that runs Lindi Jumbo project, Ngwena, Nazareth and Pacco Gem. Among five companies, the Commission's boss revealed that Uranex was planning to build infrastructure for the first Graphite Special Economic Zone in the country.
"The mining and processing of the graphite will be conducted here (in Lindi)," noted RC Zambi, who was optimistic that more job opportunities would be created by the anticipated projects."
Tanzania Relaxes Protectionist Regulations in Mining Sector
11th March 2019 https://allafrica.com/stories/201903110809.html
"Tanzania has relaxed the mining sector regulations that require local companies to own controlling stake in multinationals.
Once seen as too ambitious, the Mining Sector Regulations 2018 required Tanzanian companies to have at least 51 per cent stake in mining firms while multinationals were to partner with their locally owned institutions.
The regulations and the Mining Act amendments, which were part of mineral sector reforms, were meant to give the government a bigger share of the mining sector pie.
Additionally, they sought to boost the participation of Tanzanian nationals and firms in multinationals' operations.
But a year later, further amendments have seen procedural ownership percentage reduced to 20 per cent.
Analysts say that Tanzania, though endowed with abundant minerals, still feels little impact on its revenue collection or even on lives of most Tanzanians over the years.
The new Mining (Local Content) (Amendments) Regulations, 2019 reduced ownership restriction for local mining firms and financial institutions' preference.
Indigenous Tanzanian companies, under the amended regulations, now have to own a minimum 20 per cent equity."
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