Mwamba Mining Partners with Barrick Gold to Explore Tanzania’s Nzega Greenstone Belt
Mwamba Mining (“Mwamba”), dedicated to advancing inclusive and sustainable gold mining in Tanzania, has partnered with Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) through its Twiga partnership with the Tanzanian Government.
This collaboration will focus on exploring Mwamba’s 1,325 km² land position in the Nzega district, an area noted for its significant greenstone belts, which are known to host world-class gold deposits.
Under an earn-in agreement, Barrick may invest up to $16.5 million in prospecting and exploration to acquire up to 80% joint venture interest in the Property.
Founded in 2018 by Tanzanian Sam Bahebe and Dartmouth alumni Thomas Cornew and Eduard Cornew, Mwamba aims to empower artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) communities by providing the expertise and capital necessary to safely scale their operations.
These ASM activities occur on separate licenses outside of Mwamba’s partnership with Barrick. Tanzania is home to around one million artisanal miners, many of whom lack access to modern processing technologies and often use toxic mercury to extract gold. Mwamba’s team leverages extensive experience in managing various scale gold mines to enhance the safe and efficient processing of ore from artisanal miners.
The partnership with Barrick is expected to advance Mwamba’s mission to support ASMs, aligning with the United Nations’ efforts to eliminate mercury use in small-scale mining. Mwamba’s involvement in the PlanetGOLD program advisory group and the Global Mercury Partnership further underscores this commitment.
Mac Jackson, Mwamba’s Exploration Director, highlights, “Our partnership with Barrick represents a significant milestone in our gold exploration efforts in Tanzania.
Barrick, being the largest gold producer in Tanzania and the second-largest globally, brings substantial expertise to this venture. The 1,325 square kilometer Property offers numerous exploration opportunities and marks the beginning of a quality exploration program in the promising Nzega greenstone belt.”
In 2019, Barrick and the Tanzanian government established the Twiga Partnership, which equally shares the economic benefits from the North Mara and Bulyanhulu mines.
This partnership signifies a move towards more equitable resource sharing and serves as a model for other African nations. Barrick has since become a major employer and economic contributor in Tanzania, receiving commendations from the Tanzanian Parliamentary Committee for its operations at North Mara, including its contributions to the local economy, environmental management, and community development.
Tony Bainbridge, Mwamba’s Mining Director, notes that Tanzania’s mining legislation, which dates back to 1923 and was formalized through the Mining Act of 1997 and the 2010 Mining Act, provides a robust framework for the industry. The latter introduced the Primary Mining Licenses (PML) system, formalizing small-scale mining.
Jackson adds that the Nzega district, part of the ancient Lake Victoria footprint, is covered by lake sediment, which has historically obscured potential deposits.
“The gold deposits in the Nzega district, particularly orogenic deposits in Archean and Proterozoic greenstone belts, are among the best in grade and size globally.
Historical exploration challenges, including complex ownership and sediment cover, have hindered past efforts. This partnership with Barrick will apply modern exploration techniques to this extensive land position, potentially revealing significant opportunities.”
SOURCE:africa.businessinsider.com
