THE government might not issue a clearance certificate to Resolute Mining Limited if allegations laid against the company are proved to be true, Parliament heard yesterday
Already the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) has been instructed to carry out an assessment of the mining areas where the international mining giant has been operating, Deputy Minister for Energy and Minerals Medard Kalimani stated.
He said the Australia-based mining firm closed down three years ago and was supposed to implement its closure plan before being issued with the certificate.
The deputy minister gave the explanation in response to a call by Nzega MP Hussein Bashe that the government should not to issue the certificate to the mining firm, alleging that it had not paid 10bn/- to Nzega Municipal Council as was initially agreed.
He argued that the company conducted mining activities in a very big area in the municipality and was likely to leave the country without fully implementing the closure plan, which required the company to refill mining pits with soil.
“I would like to know if the government is ready to hand the certificate to Resolute Mining Limited before the latter pays the debt and implements fully the closure plan,” he asked.
The company ended its operations at the Golden Pride mine in Nzega District, Tabora Region, following expiry of the mine’s lifespan in 2012 and is expected to leave the country in June this year.
“The government is closely monitoring the mining firm’s closure plans and NEMC has been directed to carry out assessment to find out the amount of damage caused and the company’s plan to rehabilitate the area,” noted the deputy minister.
Meanwhile, the government plans to set aside mining sites for artisan miners in Tigite area in Mara Region in an effort to avoid regular clashes with Acacia’s North Mara mine.
This was stated by the deputy minister while responding to a question raised by Tarime Rural MP John Heche (CHADEMA) who wanted to know when the government would allocate land to the miners.
“It is high time the government realises that failure to provide the artisan miners with mining sites causes hatred towards Acacia’s North Mara mine by youths in the area,” he noted.
Kalamani explained that in 2015 the government earmarked 598 hectares of land at Nyamongo and Kerende as mining ground for artisan miners whereby 96 licenses were issued to residents involved in mining activities.
He went further to say that in 2014, some 49.18 hectares of land in Nyakunguru Village was set aside for the same purpose and five mining licences were issued to artisan miners and four others to big miners.
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