collected 1.3bn/- from tanzanite,THE government

THE government has collected 1.3bn/- from tanzanite which was auctioned at the just-concluded Arusha International gem fair. Director of Diamonds and Gemstones Valuation Unit in Tanzania’s Ministry of Energy and  Minerals, Archard Kalugendo, said that the amount was collected after auctioning off all the seized tanzanite in Tanzania’s airports last year. The auction was championed by the acting commissioner of minerals, Eng Ally Samaje. “I am happy to report that all the money collected from the sales of gemstones will go directly to the government’s coffers because they were impounded when smugglers were  trying to export them without proper procedures.”  The official said apart from selling the seized gemstones, Tanzanite One and Tanzania's  State Mining Corporation (Stamico) also sold raw and uncut tanzanite worth USD2.2 million, with the government pocketing 245m/­ as royalties. “But, the amount of money collected from general sales of minerals at the fair is yet to be released and the organizing committee is working on it,” the official said.

Last week, Tanzania announced it would auction all the tanzanite seized at various airports in the
country over the last year at the just­concluded Arusha Gem Fair held in northern Tanzania's tourist
capital.
Commissioner Samaje said the smuggled gemstones, worth USD11.4 million, had been seized at the
Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Kilimanjaro airports.
He said mineral smuggling was a serious threat to Tanzania’s economy and that the auction was a way
of telling the world that tough action would be taken.
The commissioner said the government wanted to see minerals benefiting both local stakeholders as
well as international buyers.
Gemstones are regularly auctioned by private industry stakeholders at the Arusha fair. Last year, USD3
million worth of gemstones were auctioned, generating USD137,659 in royalties for the government.