Tanzania set to gain from Japanese expertise in mineral exploration

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - Tanzania and Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together in
exploration and assessment of what is believed to be a wide variety of untapped mineral deposits in this East African country.

Under the deal, Japan Oil, Gas and Metal National Corporation (JOGMEC) and Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) will use
integrated modern techniques of remote sensing, satellite image analysis and geographical information system (GIS) to
range over the country in search of minerals.

''Results of the survey are expected to bring an understanding of the mineral resources potential of the country, which is expected
to accelerate investment in the mineral sector, particularly from Japan,'' said Tanzania's Energy and Minerals Minister William Ngeleja.

Already, the country has a proven wide variety of minerals including diamonds, gold, base metals, gemstones and industrial minerals.

Currently, Tanzania is Africa's second largest gold producer after South Africa and mining is the fastest-growing sector in terms of
its share of the country's exports.

According to Ngeleja,a vast area of Tanzania has not been geologically surveyed. It is believed, he said, that there were a lot of minerals
in the country's unsurveyed southern regions.

Preliminary studies in those areas have revealed abundant alluvial gold deposits in the Mbwemkuru River Basin, nickel occurrences in Nachingwea
district, uranium in Namtumbo district and various gemstones in the Mhuwesi River Basin, said Peter Kafumu, the ministry's Commissioner for Minerals.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief of Japanese Mission in Tanzania, Shuichiro Kawaguchi, said the technology transfer of the state-of-the-art on mineral
resource explorations using satellite imaging under the deal would contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction in Tanzania.
-0- PANA AR/SEG 7Dec2010