THE government has suspended operations at a gold mining site in Handali ward in Chamwino District, Dodoma Region following eruption of chaos locking small-scale miners and a small scale Chinese miner.

Minerals minister Anthony Mavunde accompanied by members of the regional public security committee went to the area to inspect the situation and speak with the conflicting parties.

After discussions, the minister directed the closure of the mine until the legality of the issue is cleared, to prevent further disputes, after violence erupted as the Chinese ‘gold digger’ brought a plant to the area ready for extraction.

People came out to prevent him, raising misunderstanding and even fist fights in which case the matter was reported to higher authorities, and the minister was notified of the dispute.

In his remarks on the spot he said that as the area has individuals obtaining primary mining licences only locals are permitted to operate at the mine, which excludes foreign small scale miners.

Primary licences are meant for artisanal mining, with minimal machinery or technology, where initial capital for investment lies within $5m, he stated, instructing regional minerals officers to supervise regulations in that regard.

They need to ensure that mines are operated as per licence conditions, to avoid unnecessary challenges, also asking foreign miners to stop seeking mining sites to purchase minerals but remain at minerals selling points “and they will be served well.”

“It is contrary to the law to go directly to mining sites,” he said, insisting that leaders have to make sure this procedure is observed, hinting that as the new financial year commences, new regulations will be put to use where anyone given a mining licence will have to allow small-scale miners to operate at the area.

“This is meant to curb unnecessary conflicts which have been occurring in the sites due to an increase of middlemen activities not part of mining,” he said.

RC Rosemary Senyamule directed the police to exhaustively investigate and report on the incident, citing accusation that the Chinese miner hit one of the local miners.