GEITA: The government has rolled out a fresh push to widen access to small-scale mining licences for youth, women, and special groups, positioning the drive as a national empowerment effort that will expand citizen ownership while reducing exploitation in mineral-rich communities.
Speaking in Msasa, Bukombe District, on Wednesday, Minister of Minerals Anthony Mavunde, said the licensing push is being implemented under the ‘Mining for a Brighter Tomorrow’ (MBT) programme, with licences being issued to organised groups of women and youth, targeting about 4,000 beneficiaries.
He said the broader direction comes from President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has instructed the government to strengthen and formalise small scale mining, so that Tanzanians can participate legally, safely and profitably.
Mr Mavunde said the concerns raised in Geita reflect a wider national picture, where informal arrangements can leave miners, especially women and other vulnerable groups, exposed to unfair terms and exploitation.
He said formal licensing and stronger oversight are intended to improve miners’ bargaining power, protect their rights and create clearer, enforceable working relationships at production sites.
To address the issue immediately in Msasa, he instructed mining authorities to convene miners and licence holders to agree on clearer and fairer arrangements, especially in situations where rush activity creates tension and unequal sharing.
He urged miners to form groups, arguing that structured organisation makes it easier for the government to issue licences, deliver support and enforce compliance in a way that protects small scale operators. A central message from the meeting was that widening ownership is now a priority.
The minister said the government wants more Tanzanians to move from informal labour to lawful rights holders and, over time, grow from small-scale operators into medium and eventually large-scale miners. He said the objective is not simply to expand access to licences, but to ensure mining contributes to stable livelihoods and local economic transformation.
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Mr Mavunde also signalled tougher action against prospecting licences that hold land without meaningful work on the ground.
He said the government is strengthening oversight under the Mining Act to ensure licence holders demonstrate active exploration, including by submitting quarterly reports. Where compliance is weak, he said, enforcement steps will follow, including default notices and the cancellation of licences so that idle land can be opened up for productive use.
In Msasa, he said the Mining Commission will take over a prospecting licence area whose term is nearing expiry and reallocate it to support small scale miners operating in the area through organised groups, allowing them to work legally and without being pushed into informal or exploitative arrangements.
Regional leaders said productivity measures will also matter on the ground, particularly energy access.
Geita Regional Commissioner Martin Shigella said the region is working to address electricity constraints in Msasa, with plans to extend power supply to mining areas to reduce operating costs and support higher output.
Stakeholders also welcomed the direction of reforms, for instance, FEMATA President John Bina said small-scale miners have seen tangible improvements in recent years and called for continued collaboration with government institutions so miners can operate with fewer barriers and more predictable support. The Msasa visit also highlighted the scale of mining activity in Bukombe.
Official figures show the district hosts 652 small-scale mining licences and more than 5,700 organised groups, alongside processing infrastructure.
With licensing expansion under MBT, stricter enforcement against idle prospecting, and targeted measures to improve operating conditions, the reforms are expected to translate into tangible transformation by increasing lawful ownership, reducing exploitation risks, and strengthening the foundations of small-scale mining under President Samia’s empowerment agenda.