the land factor in mining gold reserves in tanzania

The policy brief examines the friction between Tanzania's land laws and its gold mining sector. While gold production has increased significantly, contributing 41.3% of export earnings, the lack of alignment between the land and mining cadastres has led to land degradation and tenure conflicts. The author highlights the environmental impact of large-scale mines, such as the North Mara Mine, and the unregulated nature of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). The brief recommends strengthening compensation frameworks, merging land and mining cadastres, and exploring co-ownership models to address the deep ancestral attachments of local communities to their land.

• Gold is a critical driver of the Tanzanian economy, with proven reserves exceeding 36 million oz. As of 2011, gold production accounts for more than 41.3% of the country's export earnings and 75% of foreign direct investment (FDI), while contributing 4% to GDP growth.
• There is a systemic conflict between the land and mineral regulatory frameworks, which has led to prevalent disputes over licensing and land access. This disharmony is identified as the primary cause of conflicts between mining investors and local communities.
• Large-scale gold mining causes significant environmental degradation. For example, between 2005 and 2008, the North Mara Mine in the Tarime District released poisonous chemicals and acid mine drainage into the Tigithe River, resulting in the deaths of people and domestic animals.
• Artisanal and small-scale miners (ASMs) contribute to land degradation through unregulated operations, often invading areas without regard for land tenure and creating shallow excavations that cover many hectares of surface land.
• Mining companies may use the legal definition of 'hazardous land' to displace communities. The author notes reports that the North Mara Mine spread waste over large areas to claim possession of land, even where no minerals were present.
• Financial compensation is often insufficient to resolve conflicts because it does not account for the deep ancestral and emotional attachment communities have to their land. The author suggests co-ownership through shareholding as a more effective alternative.
• A technical gap exists between the land cadastre, which uses fixed boundaries and georeferenced coordination, and the mining cadastre, where underground interests cannot be fixed for registration. The 2010 Mining Act began moving toward merging these systems.

APA

Lugoe, F. (2011). the land factor in mining gold reserves in tanzania. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Policy-Briefing-34.pdf

Chicago

Lugoe, Furaha. the land factor in mining gold reserves in tanzania. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2011. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Policy-Briefing-34.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lugoe |first1=Furaha |title=the land factor in mining gold reserves in tanzania |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=July 2011 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Policy-Briefing-34.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lugoe2011land, author = {Lugoe, Furaha}, title = {{the land factor in mining gold reserves in tanzania}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2011}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Policy-Briefing-34.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }