How Dolomite mining transforms lives in Tanzania

Msoga. As dawn breaks over the rolling hills of Msoga village in Chalinze District, the rhythmic clatter of hammers against rock fills the morning air.

It is the sound of transformation, where the toil of more than 1,200 villagers has turned bare stone into opportunity.

Here, dolomite, once an overlooked mineral, has become the bedrock of local prosperity.

Dolomite, a carbonate mineral composed of calcium and magnesium, is widely used in cement, glass, ceramics, paint, and wall putty production.

Globally, it plays a crucial role in steelmaking, agriculture, and water treatment.

In Tanzania, where the construction and manufacturing sectors have expanded rapidly over the past decade, demand for dolomite has risen steadily, making it a strategic resource in national industrialisation efforts.

For Msoga’s residents, the story of dolomite is both personal and communal.

Through a rare communal mining licence granted to the village, locals have gained legal recognition to extract and trade the mineral.

Unlike in the past, when artisanal miners worked under uncertainty and risk of eviction, the licence has given villagers security, enabling them to organise their work, access markets, and collectively benefit from their natural endowment.

“If you see a child from Msoga attending secondary school, new houses being built, or a family having a reliable meal, you know it’s because a hammer has struck dolomite,” reflects Juma Mpenda, a small-scale miner.

His words capture the centrality of the mineral to daily life.

According to Gabote Masanja, a mining officer for the Dar es Salaam zone, the licence has been pivotal. “Before, miners were just working to get by.

Now, they work with confidence, knowing the licence belongs to the village and their work is legally recognised,” he notes.

That recognition has enabled over 1,200 families to earn a living from not only mining, but also transporting and trading the mineral.

The ripple effects are visible across Msoga.

Youth who once left in search of casual labour now find employment close to home.

Families are constructing modern houses, while others are securing bank loans by using land titles, something previously unimaginable in the community.

With steady income, parents are sending their children to secondary schools and colleges, signalling long-term social change.

Yet, the village’s experience also offers wider lessons.

Tanzania is endowed with abundant mineral resources, but in many communities, artisanal miners remain locked out of the formal system.

Msoga’s model of communal licensing demonstrates how granting legal access to resources can uplift rural populations, while also integrating them into the formal economy.

As construction booms in nearby Dar es Salaam and Pwani Region fuels demand for dolomite, Msoga has positioned itself as a vital supplier.

The stone, extracted with simple tools, finds its way into cement factories, paints, and even the walls of homes in bustling cities, linking village labour to national development.

In the hills of Msoga, each hammer strike is more than an echo of work; it is a rhythm of resilience and renewal.

Dolomite has become not just a mineral, but the cornerstone of dignity and aspiration.

With their communal licence in hand, the people of Msoga are proving that when natural resources are harnessed inclusively, they can transform lives and secure a brighter future.