Tanzania small-scale miner discovers two tanzanite gemstones

Tanzanian authorities on Saturday unveiled a small-scale miner for discovering two tanzanite gemstones weighing a total of 5.22 kilograms.

Tanzanite is a rare blue gem only produced in northern Tanzania.

Anselim Kawishe, a miner, was announced by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Minerals, Adolf Ndunguru, at a ceremony held at the Mirerani tanzanite mining area in Simanjiro district in the Manyara region.

Kawishe’s new tanzanite discovery was valued at one million U.S. dollars, said Ndunguru.

Kawishe said he has been looking for the tanzanite gemstones for the past 15 years.

“I did not expect that there will be a day when I will be standing here carrying such a big tanzanite gem,” he said.

Doto Biteko, the minister for Minerals, said President Samia Suluhu Hassan was informed about the new discovery and she directed the 5.22 kilograms of tanzanite should be sold quickly and the miner should be paid all of his money promptly.

In 2020, another Tanzanite small-scale miner Saniniu Laizer discovered two tanzanite gemstones weighing about 14 kilograms.