Inclusive Closure and Post-Mining Transition at the Golden Pride Mine, Tanzania

This case study examines the closure and post-mining transition of the Golden Pride Mine (GPM) in Tanzania, highlighting the integration of community engagement, progressive reclamation, and adaptable land-use planning to ensure environmental stability and community resilience.

• The Golden Pride Mine, an open-pit gold mine operated by Resolute Mining Limited from 1998 to early 2013, produced over 2.2 million ounces of gold. Because Tanzanian regulatory frameworks for mine closure were emerging at the time, the operator implemented Australian mine closure standards to manage community engagement, employee transitions, and technical reclamation.
• Community engagement was facilitated through a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach starting in 2000, which allowed for the creation of community action plans. This long-term engagement helped identify critical post-mining needs, such as water security, leading to the construction of small dams for agriculture and the decision to maintain a water treatment plant for Nzega town.
• The closure of the open pit involved a compromise between complete backfilling—which was deemed too costly and would sterilize future mineral resources—and leaving it open. The final plan involved partial backfilling and the creation of a pit lake to serve as a water reservoir for irrigation and to improve site safety by submerging unstable walls.
• Progressive reclamation began in the second year of mining, focusing on returning the land to a natural Miombo woodland setting. This early start allowed the operator to test and adapt reclamation methods, such as using non-potentially acid generating oxide waste rock as cover material and installing rock chutes to prevent erosional gullies.
• As of mid-2022, the site faces significant challenges from illegal small-scale miners who are disrupting reclaimed waste rock piles and tailings storage areas. There are reports of miners using mercury to extract gold in the pit lake, which threatens the water quality intended for future agricultural irrigation.

APA

Stevens, R., (Sinclair), J. H., & Kasege, G. (2022). Inclusive Closure and Post-Mining Transition at the Golden Pride Mine, Tanzania. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/igf-case-study-golden-pride-mine-tanzania.pdf

Chicago

Stevens, Rob, Jackie Hartnett (Sinclair), and Gidion Kasege. Inclusive Closure and Post-Mining Transition at the Golden Pride Mine, Tanzania. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2022. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/igf-case-study-golden-pride-mine-tanzania.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stevens |first1=Rob |last2=(Sinclair) |first2=Jackie Hartnett |last3=Kasege |first3=Gidion |title=Inclusive Closure and Post-Mining Transition at the Golden Pride Mine, Tanzania |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2022 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/igf-case-study-golden-pride-mine-tanzania.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stevens2022inclusive, author = {Stevens, Rob and (Sinclair), Jackie Hartnett and Kasege, Gidion}, title = {{Inclusive Closure and Post-Mining Transition at the Golden Pride Mine, Tanzania}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2022}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2022-11/igf-case-study-golden-pride-mine-tanzania.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }