Cape Town. Tanzania’s Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, held a series of strategic meetings on the sidelines of the Mining Indaba symposium to attract fresh investment into the nation’s burgeoning extractive industry.
Accompanied by Deputy Permanent Secretary Mr Msafiri Mbibo and the Tanzanian ambassador to South Africa, James Bwana, the delegation held intensive talks on February 9, 2026 with international leaders and corporate giants.
Mr Mavunde met with the Finnish Minister for Economic Affairs, Sakari Puisto.
Their discussions focused on a Memorandum of Understanding between the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST).
This partnership is designed to empower Tanzanian specialists in the analysis and verification of geoscience data.
Furthermore, the collaboration aims to elevate GST’s laboratory capabilities to international standards and facilitate joint high-resolution geophysical surveys, ensuring that Tanzania remains at the forefront of geological mapping and research.
The Tanzanian delegation also engaged in productive dialogue with a senior mission from the United States government, led by Mr Thomas Hardy, the Acting Director of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).
The meeting touched upon critical cooperation in the exploration and value addition of strategic and critical minerals.
A central point of the discussion was the advancement of graphite exploration projects in partnership with the State Mining Corporation (STAMICO).
Mr Mavunde took the opportunity to highlight the necessity of comprehensive airborne geoscience surveys, urging the US government to prioritise this area to unlock the potential for large-scale mining projects that adhere to the country’s legal requirements for domestic mineral processing.
The momentum continued with a meeting involving Rio Tinto, a global mining titan with over 150 years of industry experience.
Rio Tinto representatives cited Tanzania’s improved infrastructure, specifically the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and the TAZARA network, alongside a stable mineral policy and a conducive business environment, as primary drivers for their interest in the country.
The company, which operates in 35 nations with a focus on copper, bauxite, and graphite, was encouraged by the Minister to enter into swift negotiations with STAMICO for joint exploration ventures.
Mr Mavunde reiterated that under Tanzanian law, STAMICO is fully authorised to enter into partnerships with both local and foreign investors.
He extended a formal invitation to Rio Tinto to invest in large-scale strategic mines that incorporate the construction of domestic processing plants.
This approach ensures that Tanzania not only exports raw materials but also captures the full economic value chain of its mineral wealth, fostering sustainable industrial growth and providing high-quality geological data for future generations.
