Barrick Mining takes gold hunt to the skies as minister launches high tech exploration drive
The Helicopter survey targets small-scale mining licences in Mara, opening new frontier for scientific gold exploration and investment.
TUESDAY September 1, 2026
By Patty Magubira
The Tranquility News Reporter, Tanzania
Tanzania’s gold exploration drive has taken to the skies after Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde launched a helicopter-based geological survey designed to unlock new gold opportunities for small-scale miners and accelerate scientific exploration in Mara Region.
The high-tech initiative, deployed by Barrick Mining Corporation at its North Mara operations in Nyamongo, Tarime District, is targeting areas held under mining licences by small-scale miners, including licences allocated to young Tanzanians and areas previously returned to the government by Barrick.
The move signals a growing push by the government and mining industry to use advanced technology to reduce the risks associated with speculative exploration while opening new opportunities for local participation in Tanzania’s lucrative gold value chain.
Launching the programme on Monday, Mavunde said the helicopter survey would provide small-scale miners with scientific data that could transform how they identify and develop mineral deposits.
“This research will mo nove small-scale miners away from speculative mining,” Mavunde said.
The helicopter, which will fly about 30 metres above the ground, is fitted with advanced geophysical equipment capable of detecting underground geological structures associated with potential gold mineralisation.
The resulting data is expected to provide a basis for further geological assessment and exploration, potentially helping licence holders identify promising targets before committing significant capital to drilling and mining.
From trial-and-error to data-driven mining
For Tanzania’s small-scale mining sector, the technology could represent an important shift from traditional exploration methods towards a more data-driven model.
Mavunde said the government had specifically asked Barrick to extend the aerial survey beyond the company’s own areas to cover licences held by small-scale miners in Tarime and neighbouring districts.
The helicopter will also survey Majimoto in Serengeti District and other areas where young Tanzanians hold mining licences.
Among the targeted areas are licences allocated by the government to young people, including licences returned by Barrick last year.
The initiative therefore brings together two increasingly important themes in Tanzania’s mining sector: Technology-driven exploration and greater local participation in mineral development.
Barrick returns licences to unlock local opportunities
The Barrick Country Resident Manager, Dr Melkiory Ngido, said the company was supporting the government’s efforts to widen participation in mining, including through the return of exploration licences.
“As North Mara, we have returned 50 exploration licences to the government to be distributed to nearly 2,000 young people,” Ngido said.
The move is significant as Tanzania seeks to increase the participation of local businesses, young entrepreneurs, women and other groups in the mining value chain while maintaining a strong investment environment for large-scale operators.
As North Mara, we have returned 50 exploration licences to the government to be distributed to nearly 2,000 young people,” the Barrick Country Resident Manager, Dr Melkiory Ngido.
North Mara and Bulyanhulu Gold Mine in Shinyanga are operated by Barrick in partnership with the Government of Tanzania through Twiga Minerals.
Ngido said the two operations remained major contributors to government revenues through taxes and dividends.
“North Mara and Bulyanhulu are among the largest taxpayers in the country and the mines leading in paying significant dividends to the government,” he said.
He added that Barrick would continue working with the government and surrounding communities to support employment, development and economic growth.
Government links exploration drive to inclusive mining
The helicopter launch coincided with the national launch of the Mining for a Brighter Tomorrow (MBT) programme at Ingwe Secondary School in Nyamongo.
The programme is aimed at increasing the participation of young people, women and persons with disabilities in Tanzania’s mining sector.
Mavunde said the initiatives were part of implementing President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directive to ensure that the country’s expanding mining industry creates broader economic opportunities for Tanzanians.
“These are the results of the direction given by Her Excellency President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan,” he said.
The minister also pledged to strengthen Tanzanian participation in the management and development of the country’s mines, arguing that stronger local involvement could help reduce conflicts between mining companies and host communities.
Parliament backs technology-led exploration
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals, Subira Mgalu, welcomed the deployment of helicopter technology, saying the resulting geological information could create new opportunities for investment and economic growth.
“We commend Barrick for this technology,” Mgalu said.
She also described the MBT programme as an important government initiative for empowering groups that have historically faced barriers to participating fully in the mining industry.
Mara emerges as a technology-driven exploration hub
Mara Regional Commissioner Brigadier General Evans Mtambi welcomed the decision to launch the programme in the region, saying it demonstrated the increasing role of science and technology in Tanzania’s mineral sector.
“I thank the government for choosing Mara. We are seeing science being applied in the mining sector,” Mtambi said.
Tarime Rural MP Mwita Waitara also praised the government and Barrick for supporting development initiatives, including the allocation of mining licences to groups of young small-scale miners.
Victor Tesha of the Federation of Miners Associations of Tanzania (FEMATA), however, said young miners still needed greater access to exploration equipment and safer mining technologies.
The event was attended by senior government and mining officials, including STAMICO Board Chairperson and Kigoma Regional Commissioner Simon Sirro, Tarime District Commissioner Major Edward Gowele and North Mara Gold Mine General Manager Apolinary Lyambiko.
A new model for Tanzania’s gold sector?
The aerial exploration programme could ultimately prove important beyond the immediate search for new gold deposits.
By combining Barrick’s exploration technology with government efforts to allocate mineral licences to Tanzanian youth and small-scale miners, the initiative points towards a model in which large-scale mining expertise and technology can help unlock opportunities for local licence holders.
For Tanzania, where gold remains one of the country’s most important mineral exports, improved geological knowledge could mean better-targeted investment, reduced exploration risk and more productive use of mining licences.
For small-scale miners, the immediate promise is simpler: better information about what lies beneath the ground before they spend money digging for it.
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The Tranquility News Reporter/Sub Editor, Tanzania
Patty Magubira is an experienced environmental and business editor whose career started at the Tanzania's state-owned newspaper - The Daily News. He is a man of perfection. Aided by his extensive training as a community forestry expert before joining Tanzania School of Journalism. Magubira had successfully held various key posts in newsrooms, giving him an unmatched connections in media fraternity. Having worked as a bureau chief in Arusha and Mwanza, he managed to build a team work, boosting sales to the highest level ever. He was then promoted to a sub-editor after completing a training in Nairobi, Kenya. His incredible experience, critical thinking and exposure are critical to the quality of any media outlet.
