Tanzania Mineral Exports Up 34 Per Cent Year on Year as Gold and Tanzanite Lead Gains

For Immediate Release

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA — Tanzania's mineral export revenues have increased 34 per cent year on year, with gold, tanzanite, and copper leading gains across the country's diversified minerals portfolio. The figure, published by the Tanzania Minerals Audit Agency, reflects the combined effect of elevated commodity prices, increased production volumes, and the progressive commissioning of new processing facilities across the Lake Zone and northern mining regions.

Gold remained the dominant contributor to Tanzania's mineral export total, with revenues from gold exports rising in line with global prices that have reached historic highs over the period. The country's large-scale gold mines — including Geita, Bulyanhulu, and North Mara — all reported strong production figures, while the formalised artisanal sector contributed meaningfully to overall gold export volumes following Tanzania's implementation of its local content and formalisation programmes.

Tanzanite revenues also increased substantially, supported by growing demand from Asian luxury markets and the ongoing impact of regulations requiring tanzanite to be cut and polished within Tanzania before export. The domestic cutting and polishing requirement has shifted value-added processing to Tanzanian workshops, meaning a larger share of the stone's final sale value is generated within the country rather than captured by overseas cutting centres.

Copper export revenues grew significantly, driven by new production from the Kabanga Nickel project area and increased output from existing operations in the Lake Zone. Copper's role in renewable energy infrastructure — particularly electric vehicle batteries and power grid equipment — has sustained elevated demand and prices, making Tanzania's copper resources increasingly valuable assets.

"A 34 per cent increase in mineral export revenues is a very strong result, and it reflects both the quality of Tanzania's mineral endowment and the country's improving ability to extract and process its resources. The combination of elevated gold prices, growing tanzanite demand from Asia, and copper's role in the energy transition creates a favourable external environment. Tanzania's job is to ensure the systems and infrastructure are in place to capitalise on it." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold

New processing facilities coming online in the Lake Zone region have been a material contributor to the export gains. The commissioning of additional gold processing capacity at several operations, combined with improvements to transport links connecting the Lake Zone mines to the Port of Dar es Salaam, has reduced the time and cost between ore extraction and export — improving project economics and enabling higher production volumes.

Tanzania's government has attributed part of the revenue gain to improved compliance and monitoring by the Tanzania Minerals Audit Agency, which has expanded its presence at mine sites and export points over the past three years. Better oversight has reduced revenue leakage and ensured that export declarations accurately reflect production volumes and values, contributing to the higher official revenue figures.

"The transparency and governance improvements in Tanzania's minerals sector matter as much as the production figures. Export revenues can only grow sustainably if the systems for measuring, declaring, and collecting revenue from minerals are robust. Tanzania has invested in those systems, and it is seeing the results in its official export data. That combination of strong production and strong governance is the foundation for long-term sector growth." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold

The Tanzania Minerals Audit Agency has projected continued growth in mineral export revenues over the coming three years, based on new projects entering production, sustained commodity price levels, and the full commissioning of processing facilities currently in their final development phases. Tanzania's position as one of Africa's most significant and diversified mineral producers appears increasingly well-established.

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