Quarry and Building Materials Licence Tanzania: Sand, Gravel, Aggregate, Murram and Stone Under the Mining Act
Which licence does a quarry or building materials operation need in Tanzania? On the Mainland, sand, gravel, aggregate, murram and building stone are minerals under the Mining Act, Cap. 123. A citizen-owned quarry usually works under a primary mining licence; a foreign-owned or larger operation needs a mining licence. Royalty is 3% of gross value plus a 1% inspection fee, prepaid before sale. NEMC, OSHA, land and water approvals sit alongside.
A quarry licence Tanzania regulators recognise is a mineral right from the Mining Commission, not a council permit. This guide covers routes by scale, the March 2026 prepaid royalty system, levies, environment, river sand, land, safety and Zanzibar, with a costed 20,000 tonne example.
What the law says about quarry and building materials licences
Quarrying on the Mainland is mining in law. Sand pits, gravel borrow areas, aggregate crushers and stone quarries all extract minerals that belong to the state. Four instruments set the frame.
- The Mining Act, Cap. 123. We read the TanzLII text of the Mining Act as revised to 30 November 2019. Section 2 applies it to Tanzania Mainland only.
- The Mining (Mineral Rights) Regulations, 2018. GN 1 of 2018 carries the forms and the fee schedule.
- The 2026 trading amendment. The Mining (Minerals and Mineral Concentrates Trading) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, GN 84 of 2026, published on 20 March 2026, added regulations 13H and 13I. They require royalty and inspection fee on industrial and building minerals to be paid before sale or consumption.
- The Environmental Management Act, Cap. 191. The Act as published on TanzLII governs environmental impact assessment and restricts activities near rivers and shorelines.
The 2023 revised edition renumbers Cap. 123: royalty moved from section 87 to section 111, and the inspection fee from section 90A to section 115. We quote the 2019 text we read.
Who should read this
- Quarry, crusher and sand pit operators, including youth groups and cooperatives.
- Road, dam and building contractors who open borrow pits for a project.
- Landowners and village councils approached by quarry operators.
- Foreign investors planning a commercial quarry.
For the wider map of mineral rights, read our mining licence guide first.
What counts as a building material under the Mining Act?
Section 4 of the 2019 text says building materials include "all forms of rock, stones, gravel, sand, clay, soils, volcanic ash or cinder" used for "the construction of buildings, roads, dams, aerodromes, or similar works". Three exclusions follow: gypsum, limestone burned to make lime, and material used to manufacture cement.
Limestone sent to a cement plant or lime kiln is therefore an industrial mineral. Dimension stone such as granite blocks sits close to the line, and NEMC's fee schedule lists it separately. Ask the Resident Mines Officer to confirm the class before you pay.
Two exceptions keep everyday use outside licensing. Section 18(2) does not restrict a member of the public from possessing or disposing of building materials "commonly used for domestic purposes". Section 7(3) lets a person building tunnels, roads, dams or aerodromes use building materials from "a source approved by the Minister in writing". Under section 7(4) the Minister may not approve a source inside a mining area. Neither exception covers commercial sale.
Which licence does a quarry need: PML, mining licence or none?
The route depends on ownership, scale and whether you sell. The table sets out the options.
| Operation | Route | Who may hold it | Term | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household or village use of sand, stone or soil, not for sale | No mineral right | Any member of the public | Not applicable | s.18(2) |
| Public road, dam, tunnel or aerodrome works | Minister's written approval of the source | The contractor or project owner | As approved; may be withdrawn | s.7(3) to (5) |
| Small commercial sand or gravel pit | Primary mining licence (PML) | Tanzanian citizens and wholly citizen-owned and controlled bodies | One year for sand and other fast-depleting building materials, renewable | ss.8(2), 55(4) |
| Small aggregate or stone quarry | PML | As above | Seven years, renewable, unless the material is fast-depleting | ss.8(2), 55(2) |
| Medium commercial quarry, capital USD 100,000 to 100 million | Mining licence (ML) | Company incorporated in Tanzania, local or foreign-owned | Up to 10 years | ss.4, 8(1), 49(2) |
| Building materials inside another holder's licence area | PML or ML for building materials, with the holder's consent | As for the licence class | As for the licence class | s.7(2)(a) |
| Exploration for a stone or aggregate deposit | Prospecting licence | Qualified applicants under s.8(1) | Initial four years | s.28(1)(f); F0616 |
Our primary mining licence guide explains the citizen ownership test and the technical support route. A foreign investor cannot hold a PML directly or through a nominee, so a foreign-owned quarry uses a mining licence. The Act defines a mining licence by capital investment of USD 100,000 to USD 100,000,000. We found no rule in section 8 reserving building materials licences to citizens, but gemstone mining licences are reserved.
How do you apply on the Mining Commission cadastre portal?
Applications go through the Online Mining Cadastre Transactional Portal at portal.madini.go.tz. The Mining Commission handles them through the Resident Mines Officer for the region. The sequence for a PML:
- Search the map for overlapping rights, and get any existing holder's written consent under section 7(2).
- Open an account with the applicant's TIN, NIDA numbers and BRELA particulars.
- Lodge the application with the coordinates, the mineral group and the section 54(3) documents, including the environmental protection plan.
- Pay on GePG: the application fee first, then the preparation fee and first year's rent on grant.
A mining licence application is a heavier file. Our mining licence guide covers what it contains.
What royalty and inspection fee does a quarry pay?
Royalty on building materials is 3% of gross value. Section 87(1)(e) of the 2019 text charges three per centum "in the case of other minerals, including building materials". Zatra's fee register records the same rate under section 111(1) of R.E. 2023 (F0624). The inspection fee is 1% of gross value, payable before domestic use or export (F0625, s.115 R.E. 2023, formerly s.90A).
A 0.1% HIV Response Levy on gross value has been paid with royalty since 1 July 2025 (F0626). Limestone or phosphate used for fertiliser pays 1% royalty, not 3% (F0624).
The prepaid system under GN 84 of 2026
Since March 2026, quarries no longer pay after the sale. Regulation 13H requires the holder to:
- declare minerals produced on Form MTF 23, the "Declaration form for pre-paid payment of royalty and inspection fee";
- pay royalty and inspection fee "before sale or consumption";
- wait for the authorised officer to calculate the amount, issue a control number and activate the point-of-sale machine.
Regulation 13I protects a quarry that over-declares. If production falls short of the declared volume, the excess paid "shall be carried forward to the next production period". Keep weighbridge or truck-count records, because they are the evidence for a carry-forward. Our mineral royalty and inspection fee guide covers the October 2026 review of double charging.
Gross value is market value as the Commission determines it. We found no published price schedule for aggregate or sand, so ask the Resident Mines Officer for the unit value in your district.
What does a quarry licence cost?
The figures come from the Zatra fee register at 26 September 2026. Each is paid to the authority at the official rate against a GePG control number, and the amount on the control number governs.
| Item | Government charge | Register ID | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| PML application; preparation; renewal; transfer | TZS 50,000; 50,000; 100,000; 500,000 | F0619 | GN 1 of 2018, First Schedule, as amended by GN 741 of 2019 |
| PML annual rent, minerals other than gold, diamonds and gemstones | TZS 45,000 a hectare; minimum TZS 90,000 under 2 ha | F0620 | GN 1 of 2018, item 8, as amended by GN 419 of 2022 |
| ML application; preparation | USD 2,000 (TZS 4,500,000), same for building materials; USD 1,000 (TZS 2,300,000) | F0621 | GN 1 of 2018, as substituted by GN 47 of 2018 |
| ML annual rent, building and industrial minerals | USD 2,000 a km2 (TZS 4,500,000) | F0621 | As above |
| Royalty, building materials | 3% of gross value | F0624 | Cap. 123 R.E. 2023 s.111(1) |
| Inspection fee | 1% of gross value | F0625 | Cap. 123 R.E. 2023 s.115 |
| HIV Response Levy | 0.1% of gross value | F0626 | Cap. 123 s.113A |
| NEMC environmental fee on building materials produced | Per m3: aggregates TZS 2,000; base course and chippings 1,000; sand, murram, gravel and stones 500 | NEW-05-04 | GN 387 of 2021 category 16, as substituted by GN 588 of 2024 |
| NEMC EIA application; project brief | TZS 50,000; 150,000 | F0495 | GN 387 of 2021 |
| NEMC Type B review, project cost below TZS 50 million | TZS 2,000,000 | F0500 | GN 387 of 2021 |
| OSHA annual inspection, mining and quarrying | TZS 160,000 / 480,000 / 960,000 / 1,440,000 by size band | F0442 | GN 149 of 2015, as amended by GN 719 of 2018 |
| Council service levy | 0.25% of turnover | F0630 | Local Government Finance Act, Cap. 290 |
For a site that stores explosives, add the NEMC storage fee of TZS 1,000,000 a year (F0508) and the Cap. 45 permits. The full schedule is in our government fees handbook.
Do councils charge cess or service levy on sand and aggregate?
Produce cess is the wrong label. The cess councils levy under the Local Government Finance Act, Cap. 290 covers crops and forest produce, capped at 3% of farm-gate price (F0547). Sand and stone are not crops.
Two council charges can reach a quarry:
- Service levy (F0630). 0.25% of turnover, net of VAT and excise, on businesses in the council area. Whether a council charges it on mineral sales is local practice; the register flags this for confirmation.
- Building materials fees under by-laws (NEW-05-27). The Cap. 290 Schedule lists "building materials licence fees" among the charges a council may impose.
In practice councils collect per truckload. The Guardian reported on 3 September 2024 that Ubungo charged TZS 3,000 to TZS 10,000 a trip by truck size. Ask your council for its current by-law.
Mining under a mineral right sits outside the Business Licensing Act (NEW-08-16), so the quarry itself needs no business licence. A separate retail yard selling cement, sand and blocks needs a Class B licence (F0875).
When does a quarry need an EIA from NEMC?
Section 81 of the Environmental Management Act obliges a developer of a listed project to undertake an environmental impact assessment before starting. The project list sits in the EIA and Audit Regulations, GN 349 of 2005, as amended by GN 474 of 2018.
- Type A, mandatory EIA: "Mining (Large and medium scale mines)", item 16(b). A mining licence quarry falls here.
- Type B1, screening decides: "mining (small scale mines)", item 14(b). A PML quarry is usually screened here.
- No separate entry names sand, gravel, aggregate or dimension stone.
Every project starts with registration and screening at NEMC. The Council then decides whether a full study is needed. Our guide on when an EIA is required covers the steps, and our EIA compliance page explains how Zatra coordinates the file. NEMC also charges an annual production-based fee per cubic metre on building materials (NEW-05-04), recorded in the UNEP LEAP record of GN 588 of 2024.
Can you mine sand from a river bed?
Not freely, and often not at all. Three rules overlap.
- The sixty metre rule. Section 57(1) of the Environmental Management Act bars human activities of a permanent nature, or likely to compromise the protection of a "riverbank, water dam or reservoir", within sixty metres. Section 57(2) lets the Minister issue guidelines for activities in those areas.
- Water law. The Water Resources Management Act, 2009 requires a water use permit to divert, dam, store, abstract or use water (s.43(1)). Section 87(1) bars construction that blocks the flow of a watercourse without a permit. Section 37 lets the Minister declare protected zones around water sources. Washing aggregate with river water needs a Basin Water Board permit (F0522).
- Mining law. River sand is a building material, so commercial extraction still needs a mineral right and prepaid royalty.
The Guardian's 2024 report described Dar es Salaam guidelines of February 2021 that let permit holders remove only excess sand deposited by rain. Permits ran two months for TZS 50,000 and involved five authorities, including the Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board.
The rules do not line up neatly. Researchers at Mzumbe University wrote in May 2025 that the law contains "contradictions on aspects such as the distance to keep from ecologically sensitive zones". Treat any river site as high risk and get written positions from the Basin Water Board and NEMC before you invest.
Whose consent do you need on village and private land?
A mineral right is not a land right. FB Attorneys wrote on 7 September 2026 that "a mining licence does not automatically extinguish the rights of lawful occupants of the land". Holding a valid licence does not, in the firm's view, entitle a holder to enter village land and start mining. The firm points to sections 120 and 122 of the R.E. 2023 text.
The 2019 arrangement of sections lists section 95, "Restriction of rights of entry of holder of a mineral right". We could not read its text, so the distances and consent requirements it sets are listed under figures to confirm.
In practice a quarry needs three things before extraction:
- a written agreement with each lawful occupier, with compensation paid before they vacate;
- for village land, minutes of the village council, and of the village assembly where required;
- a lease or derivative right for plant sites and stockpiles.
Our guide to village land and granted rights of occupancy explains the tenure types. Our land acquisition page covers screening a site before a deposit is paid.
How do OSHA, explosives and local content rules apply to a quarry?
A quarry is a workplace. Register it with the Occupational Safety and Health Authority before work starts; registration is free (NEW-04-40). The annual inspection fee for mining and quarrying runs from TZS 160,000 to TZS 1,440,000 by size band (F0442). Our OSHA registration guide sets out the steps.
Hard-rock quarries blast. A mineral right does not authorise the purchase, storage or use of explosives. The Explosives Act, Cap. 45 requires a licence to acquire, a magazine licence and a blasting certificate for each shot-firer. Our explosives licence guide maps that chain.
Local content rules apply to mineral right holders and their contractors. According to FB Attorneys writing for LEX Africa on 29 January 2026, the Mining (Local Content) Regulations were amended by GN 563 of 2025, and a list of goods and services is now reserved for Tanzanian-owned suppliers. See our local content ownership checks.
Commission officers check boundaries, MTF 23 declarations and receipts; see our guide to a Mining Commission inspection.
How does Zanzibar regulate sand and quarrying?
Separately. Section 2 limits Cap. 123 to Tanzania Mainland, so the Mining Commission, the PML and the fees above do not apply on Unguja or Pemba.
The Citizen reported on 28 November 2024 on a proposed Zanzibar mining law. We could not read an enacted text, so we cannot confirm a Zanzibar Mining Act 2024, its licence classes or its royalty. Sand extraction is politically sensitive on the islands. Daily News reported on 22 August 2025 that an Unguja district commissioner called for illegal sand mining to stop.
| Point | Mainland Tanzania | Zanzibar |
|---|---|---|
| Governing law | Mining Act, Cap. 123 | Zanzibar law; a 2024 mining law was reported, enactment not confirmed |
| Licensing body | Mining Commission | Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar; body not confirmed |
| Royalty on building materials | 3% plus 1% inspection fee | Unknown |
| Environmental clearance | NEMC under Cap. 191 | Zanzibar environmental authority under Zanzibar law |
| Company and tax registration | BRELA; TRA | BPRA; ZRA for non-Union taxes, TRA for income tax |
Who does what in a quarry file?
| Body | What it decides or collects |
|---|---|
| Mining Commission and Resident Mines Officer | PML or ML grant, rent, MTF 23 declarations, royalty, inspection fee, inspections |
| NEMC | Screening, EIA certificate, annual and production-based environmental fees |
| Basin Water Board | Water use permits and works near watercourses |
| District, town or municipal council | Service levy, by-law fees per truckload, building permits for site structures |
| Village council and assembly | Consent to use village land and terms with occupiers |
| OSHA | Workplace registration and annual inspection |
| Inspector of explosives and Police | Cap. 45 permits, magazine licence, blasting certificates |
| TRA | TIN, income tax and any withholding on purchases |
| Zatra's advocate | Disputes, seizures, prosecutions, compensation claims and legal opinions |
Worked example: a 20,000 tonne aggregate quarry
A Tanzanian-owned company in Pwani holds a 5 hectare PML for building materials. It crushes and sells 20,000 tonnes of aggregate a year and employs 25 people. We make three stated assumptions:
- Unit value: TZS 30,000 a tonne gross value, so TZS 600,000,000 a year. This is an assumption for the arithmetic, not a Commission valuation.
- Bulk density: 1.6 tonnes a cubic metre, so 12,500 m3 for the NEMC fee.
- Environment: NEMC screens the project into a Type B study costing under TZS 50 million.
| Charge | Register ID | Calculation | TZS |
|---|---|---|---|
| PML application and preparation | F0619 | 50,000 + 50,000 | 100,000 |
| Annual rent | F0620 | 5 ha x 45,000 | 225,000 |
| Royalty | F0624 | 3% x 600,000,000 | 18,000,000 |
| Inspection fee | F0625 | 1% x 600,000,000 | 6,000,000 |
| HIV Response Levy | F0626 | 0.1% x 600,000,000 | 600,000 |
| NEMC production fee | NEW-05-04 | 12,500 m3 x 2,000 | 25,000,000 |
| EIA application, brief and Type B review | F0495, F0500 | 50,000 + 150,000 + 2,000,000 | 2,200,000 |
| OSHA annual inspection, small band | F0442 | 5 to 49 employees | 480,000 |
| Service levy, if charged | F0630 | 0.25% x 600,000,000 | 1,500,000 |
| First-year total | 54,105,000 |
The Commission's charges (royalty, inspection fee and levy) come to TZS 24,600,000, or TZS 1,230 a tonne. Under GN 84 the company prepays them as it declares production. If it declares 5,000 tonnes at a time, it prepays about TZS 6,150,000 before that batch is sold.
The total is 9.0% of gross value. From year two, without the application, preparation and EIA costs, recurring charges are TZS 51,805,000. The NEMC production fee is the largest single line, so confirm the rate and the volume basis with NEMC before you price.
A foreign-owned company would use a mining licence: USD 2,000 to apply, USD 1,000 for preparation and rent at USD 2,000 a km2 (F0621), totalled separately from the TZS lines. Zatra's professional fee is quoted separately.
What to do now
- Classify the material. Confirm whether your product is a building material or an industrial mineral, especially limestone and dimension stone.
- Pick the route. Use a PML if every member, director and controller is a Tanzanian citizen; otherwise plan a mining licence.
- Screen the site. Check the cadastre, the sixty metre zones, protected water sources and the land tenure before paying anyone.
- Agree with occupiers. Record village council minutes, compensation and written consent.
- Register with NEMC. Lodge the project for screening and budget the production fee per cubic metre.
- Apply on the portal. File the PML or ML application and pay against control numbers.
- Set up MTF 23 records. Declare production, prepay royalty and inspection fee, and keep weighbridge data for any carry-forward.
- Register the workplace. Register with OSHA, and secure Cap. 45 permits before any blasting.
- Clear council charges. Obtain the council's by-law on building materials fees and service levy, and keep receipts per truck.
Key dates and deadlines
| Event | Timing | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| GN 84 prepaid royalty system | Published 20 March 2026 | GN 84 of 2026, regs. 13H and 13I |
| Royalty and inspection fee | Before sale or consumption, after each MTF 23 declaration | Reg. 13H |
| PML for sand and fast-depleting materials | Expires one year from grant; renew under s.56 | s.55(4) |
| PML for other building materials | Seven years, renewable | s.55(2) |
| Mining licence | Up to 10 years initial term | s.49(2) |
| Default notice from the Commission | Remedy within 30 days or a longer period allowed | s.63, 2019 text |
| Judicial review of suspension or cancellation | Within 60 days of the decision | s.65(1), 2019 text |
| Explosives stock return | By the 10th of each month | GN 561 of 1964 reg. 52 |
How Zatra helps
Zatra's sector business permits service prepares PML and mining licence applications for building materials, sets up the MTF 23 declaration file, and coordinates NEMC screening, OSHA registration and council levies. Our Tanzania mining page covers the wider sector, and packages are on our pricing page. Reach the desk through contacts.
Government fees, royalty and levies are paid by the client to each authority at the official rate against its control number. They are separate from Zatra's professional fee and are never marked up.
The Mining Commission, NEMC, the Basin Water Board, OSHA and the council decide every application. Zatra prepares and coordinates the file; it does not decide or guarantee any authority's outcome. Compensation disputes, seizures of material, prosecutions, licence cancellations and formal legal opinions go to Zatra's advocate.
Sources and status
Accurate as at 18 October 2026. Fees are from the Zatra fee register at 26 September 2026; legal text is from the versions listed below.
- Mining Act, Cap. 123: TanzLII, revised text at 30 Nov 2019, ss.2, 4, 7, 8, 18, 49, 55, 87, 90A.
- Mining (Mineral Rights) Regulations, 2018, GN 1 of 2018: TanzLII, published 10 Jan 2018.
- GN 84 of 2026, Mining (Minerals and Mineral Concentrates Trading) (Amendment) Regulations: Government Notice published 20 Mar 2026, copy hosted by FB Attorneys.
- Environmental Management Act, 2004: TanzLII, version of 31 Dec 2004, s.57.
- EIA and Audit (Amendment) Regulations, 2018, GN 474: FAOLEX copy, published 31 Aug 2018.
- Water Resources Management Act, 2009: TanzLII, ss.34, 37, 43, 87.
- Environmental Management (Fees and Charges) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024, GN 588: UNEP LEAP record, 2024.
- Online Mining Cadastre Transactional Portal and Mining Commission: official websites, live 2026.
- Occupational Safety and Health Authority: official website, live 2026.
- Mineral versus land rights: FB Attorneys, 7 Sep 2026.
- Tanzania amends mining local content regulations: FB Attorneys for LEX Africa, 29 Jan 2026.
- Special report: sand mining: The Guardian (IPP Media), 3 Sep 2024.
- Legal gaps and contradictions in small-scale sand mining in Tanzania: Bakta, Ombella and Kilonzo, JCALS Vol. 2 No. 1, 7 May 2025, abstract read.
- How Zanzibar hopes to promote economic growth with mining law: The Citizen, 28 Nov 2024, summary only.
- Isles residents warned against sand mining, waste dumping: Daily News, 22 Aug 2025.
- Zatra fee register lines cited above: Tanzania Government Fees 2026, fees at 26 Sep 2026. Accessed 18 Oct 2026.
Figures to confirm before you act
- R.E. 2023 section numbers: ss.111 and 115 come from the fee register; the public text we read is the 2019 edition
- Section 95 entry restrictions: the distances and consent rules for villages, cultivated land and water were not read
- Maximum PML area for building materials: not confirmed
- PML term for crushed rock: whether s.55(4) "fast depleting" applies
- Unit value for royalty: the Commission's value per tonne or cubic metre for your district
- NEMC production fee: the per m3 rate in force and how tonnes are converted to volume
- Council charges: service levy on quarry sales and by-law fees per truck
- Withholding tax: whether the 2% on purchases from PML holders covers building materials
- Zanzibar: enacted mining law, licensing body and royalty for sand and stone
- Worked example inputs: TZS 30,000 a tonne and 1.6 t/m3 are assumptions, not quotes
This article is general information based on official sources available at the date of publication. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and notices change. Verify with the issuing authority or consult Zatra before acting.
Frequently asked questions
Can a farmer sell sand dug from his own land without a licence?
No. Owning or occupying the land does not give ownership of the minerals, which are vested in the state. Section 18(2) protects only building materials commonly used for domestic purposes. Selling sand by the truckload is commercial mining and needs a PML, prepaid royalty and the council's fees.
Can a sand PML sit inside another company's gold licence?
Yes, with that holder's consent. Section 7(2)(a) lets the licensing authority grant a PML or mining licence for building materials over an area already held for other minerals. Put the consent in writing, with access, boundaries and safety duties agreed, before applying.
Does a road contractor need a PML for a borrow pit on its project?
Not if the Minister has approved the source in writing under section 7(3) for public works. The approval cannot cover a site inside a mining area, and the Minister may withdraw it. Selling material from the pit to third parties falls outside the exception.
Does a crushing plant at the quarry need a separate processing licence?
We found no rule in the texts we read that treats crushing building materials as processing. Processing licences under the Mining (Mineral Beneficiation) Regulations target value addition. Ask the Resident Mines Officer in writing before you commission a stand-alone crusher serving several quarries.
What happens if a quarry sells before paying royalty under GN 84?
The point-of-sale machine stays locked until the declared royalty and inspection fee are paid. Sales outside that system risk assessment, seizure of stockpiles and prosecution. A notice, seizure or charge should go to an advocate on the day it arrives.
Can a foreign-owned construction company buy aggregate from PML holders?
Yes. Buying aggregate for its own works is a purchase, not a mineral right. Ask the seller for its PML number and the GN 84 receipt for the lot. Reselling minerals as a trade may need a dealer licence, so confirm the position with the Commission.
Is limestone for a cement plant a building material?
No. Section 4 excludes limestone burned for lime and material used to manufacture cement. Those are industrial minerals with their own licensing questions, and limestone for fertiliser pays 1% royalty rather than 3%. Confirm the class with the Commission at application.
How long does the Commission take to grant a building materials PML?
We found no published service standard for PML decisions. Timing depends on the Resident Mines Officer's site check, objections from other rights holders, land consent and NEMC screening. Budget several months and do not commit crushers or trucks before the grant.
Sources & regulators
Verify before filing: Rates, forms and thresholds move by Finance Act, Government Notice and portal revision. Confirm the live schedule on the mandate-holder portal before you budget or submit. Law-firm alerts and Big Four notes are discovery only.
- Mining Act, Cap. 123: TanzLII, revised text at 30 Nov 2019, ss.2, 4, 7, 8, 18, 49, 55, 87, 90A, read 18 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Mining (Mineral Rights) Regulations, 2018, GN 1 of 2018: TanzLII, published 10 Jan 2018, metadata and amendment list, read 18 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Mining (Minerals and Mineral Concentrates Trading) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, GN 84 of 2026: Government Notice published 20 Mar 2026, copy hosted by FB Attorneys, regs. 13H, 13I and Form MTF 23 read 18 Oct 2026; primary text. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Environmental Management Act, 2004 (Cap. 191): TanzLII, version of 31 Dec 2004, s.57 read 18 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Environmental Management (EIA and Audit) (Amendment) Regulations, 2018, GN 474 of 2018: FAOLEX copy of the Government Notice published 31 Aug 2018, First Schedule items 14(b) and 16(b), read 18 Oct 2026; primary text. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Water Resources Management Act, 2009: TanzLII, Act No. 11 of 2009, ss.34, 37, 43 and 87 read 18 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Online Mining Cadastre Transactional Portal: Mining Commission, live 2026, accessed 18 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Mining Commission (Tume ya Madini): Mining Commission official website, live 2026, accessed 18 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Occupational Safety and Health Authority: OSHA official website, live 2026, accessed 18 Oct 2026; primary source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Environmental Management (Fees and Charges) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024, GN 588 of 2024: UNEP LEAP / FAOLEX record, 2024, summary read 18 Oct 2026; independent database. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- FB Attorneys: Mineral versus land rights: FB Attorneys, published 7 Sep 2026, read 18 Oct 2026; independent law firm source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- FB Attorneys for LEX Africa: Tanzania amends mining local content regulations: FB Attorneys, LEX Africa, published 29 Jan 2026, GN 563 of 2025, read 18 Oct 2026; independent law firm source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- The Guardian: Special report on sand mining: The Guardian (IPP Media), published 3 Sep 2024, read 18 Oct 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Bakta, Ombella and Kilonzo: Legal gaps and contradictions in small-scale sand mining in Tanzania: Journal of Contemporary African Legal Studies Vol. 2 No. 1, Mzumbe University, published 7 May 2025, abstract read 18 Oct 2026; independent academic source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- The Citizen: How Zanzibar hopes to promote economic growth with mining law: The Citizen, published 28 Nov 2024, headline and summary only read 18 Oct 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
- Daily News: Isles residents warned against sand mining, waste dumping: Daily News, published 22 Aug 2025, read 18 Oct 2026; independent news source. Accessed 2026-10-18.
Disclaimer
This article is informational orientation. It is not legal, tax or investment advice and not a government decision. Tanzanian instruments move by Act, Government Notice, Finance Act and portal revision. If a sentence here disagrees with the live mandate-holder, the mandate-holder wins. Zatra Consultants Limited does not issue licences, permits, tax clearances or approvals, and gives no assurance of any regulatory or banking outcome. Professional fees are published only on /pricing/.