THE Ministry of Minerals has unveiled new measures to combat smuggling of key minerals, with a focus on oversight and technology.

Anthony Mavunde, the minister, outlined this focus when presenting the 224.98bn/- estimates for fiscal 2025/26 at the National Assembly, with revenue collections projected at 1.4trn/-.

The government intends to implement comprehensive strategies to curb systematic smuggling and the widespread illegal trade in various minerals, he said. Special helmet-mounted cameras will be worn by inspectors and appraisers supervising tanzanite operations at mining and trading sites as part of broader efforts to strengthen monitoring and accountability, he said.

The Mining Commission will introduce procedures requiring inspectors and appraisers of tanzanite to wear hard hats fitted with cameras, to enhance supervision and traceability. This will cover the whole area within the protected Mirerani mining zone and trading centres, which if successful, will be expanded to cover other types of gemstones, he said.

This is part of efforts to eliminate smuggling of key minerals conducted by unscrupulous miners and traders, he said, pointing at plans to purchase 26 vehicles for the Mining Commission, to bolster revenue collection and strengthen sector regulation.

“The vehicles will support revenue collection efforts, deter illegal minerals trade and smuggling, and enhance monitoring of mining operations,” he said. From July 2024 to March 2025, law enforcers seized various types of minerals valued at worth 17.75bn/- in illegal transactions, with the minerals confiscated and 75 suspects arraigned in court.

“I urge miners and traders to avoid smuggling, which risks both their businesses and the national economy,” the minister intoned, hinting at plans to constitute a team of six experts in finance, mining and law to propose solutions for improving financial inclusion.

This is meant to help small-scale miners engage in more productive and economically beneficial operations, while the government takes a shift on strategic minerals. It will no longer issue medium and large-scale mining licences for strategic minerals to any investor who lacks a credible value-addition plan.

Lithium, graphite, helium, nickel, cobalt, titanium, copper, aluminium, niobium, are seen as strategic minerals while mostly being collapsed with rare earth elements as they are equally critical for electronics and energy technologies in particular, he added.