TANZANIA expects to produce more than three million tonnes of coal in three regions of Njombe, Ruvuma and Mtwara by June this year.
This was revealed on Tuesday by the Tanzania Mining Commission (TMC) Executive Secretary, Engineer Yahya Samamba, in Dodoma when speaking with the media about the contribution of the mining sector in improving community services.
"The production of coal has increased significantly as the government has been able to produce coal from 1.5 million tonnes in the financial year 2020/21 to 1.56 million tonnes in the half of the financial year 2022/23," said Engineer Samamba.
Eng Samamba said during the financial year 2021/22 the government was able to produce 1.5 million tonnes of coal worth 211 million US dollars of which more than 800,000 tonnes were sold abroad and more than 60,000 tonnes were sold within the country and used in cement factories.
He also added that due to the instructions given by the Minister of Minerals Dr Doto Biteko at the meeting with mining stakeholders in the country last year, there has been a great awareness of mining companies where jobs and services in mines have been provided to natives and community services have been improved.
"In the past, mining companies were providing community services according to their priorities, but after the government instructions along with the education that has been provided by the experts of the Mining Commission regarding the participation of Tanzanians in the Mining Sector, great results have started to be seen within community," said Samamba.
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Eng Samamba has said that apart from that participation, the mining companies have also been involving the government on behalf of the people to identify projects that are a priority for the people before their implementation," said Eng Samamba.
"The government through the Mining Commission has continued to create an enabling environment for coal investors including the improvement of infrastructure such as roads, and electricity in collaboration with other government institutions," he said.
In addition, he added that coal has been transported through Mtwara Port to foreign countries with the largest purchases made by India, Poland and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In another step, Eng Samamba has asked foreign investors to take advantage of the immense investment opportunities in the Mining Sector, especially in the Njombe Region where copper, gold and manganese minerals are found.
