Tanzanite to be auctioned in Mirerani for the first time next week
Simon Msanjila
What you need to know:
The auction, to be run for four consecutive days from December 18 to 21, this year, will be expected to be closed by the Manyara Regional Commissioner, Mr Alexander Mnyeti.
Mirerani. The third international auction of tanzanite minerals is expected to be conducted on Monday in Mirerani Town, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region.
The auction, to be run for four consecutive days from December 18 to 21, this year, will be expected to be closed by the Manyara Regional Commissioner, Mr Alexander Mnyeti.
According to a press statement issued on Tuesday by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Minerals, Prof Simon Msanjila, the auction will be held in Naisinyai Village at the Simanjiro District administration building.
Prof Msanjila explained that the third international auction, which will be the first to be conducted in Mirerani, will involve raw tanzanite minerals and lapidary ones.
He said the minerals for auction would come from TanzaniteOne, which is in partnership with State Mining Corporation (Stamico) including the minerals from Tanzanite Africa firm.
"Various local forms are also expected to bring tanzanite for sale to buyers from different nations," said Prof Msanjila.
For his part, the Northern Zone Assistant Commissioner for Minerals, Mr Adam Juma, said in the immediate past auction conducted in the City of Arusha that the tanzanite worth $4,163, 562.13 were sold.
Mr Juma clarified that 69 mineral firms participated in the auction, whereby 39 firms were owned by Tanzanians and the remaining 30 by foreigners.
He said they were well prepared to ensure that this time’s auction was conducted as planned and that they would be cooperative enough to all those involved in the auction.
The Chairman of the Manyara Miners Association (Marema), Mr Sadiki Mneney, was happy with the auction to be held in Mirerani Town, saying it was part of the implementation of the promise given by President John Magufuli that tanzanite should be sold where the mineral is mined.
Mr Mneney said through the auction the world would increasingly realise that the tanzanite was mined and obtained in Simanjiro District, Manyara Region and not in Arusha.
Through the auction, he said that was the good beginning for the government to readjust so as to ensure the construction of an investment centre of the Export Processing Zones Authority in Mirerani was successful.
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