Mining CSR in Tanzania: What Mineral Licence Holders Need to Know

Tanzania's rules on the responsibility of mineral licence holders to surrounding communities are set out in Government Notice No. 409 of 2023. They were amended by Government Notice No. 692 of 2025.

The 2025 amendments changed the Technical Committee, shortened approval timelines and clarified reporting, project costs and contractor oversight.

At a glance: Licence holders must plan with communities, fund approved projects, report regularly and monitor delivery.

Who is covered? (Regulation 2)

The Regulations apply to holders of mineral licences covered by Part IV of the Mining Act.

Prepare the CSR plan with the community (Regulations 4 and 10)

A licence holder must prepare a community responsibility plan with the village or street council where mining takes place. The local community must help identify its priorities.

Proposed projects must be discussed by the Ward Development Committee and submitted to the relevant council by October each year. Projects must reflect the community's environmental, social, economic and cultural priorities. They must be practical, measurable and capable of completion on time.

Allocate and fund the projects (Regulations 4 and 11)

CSR funds must be allocated as follows:

40% for projects in the village or street where the mining activities take place; and

60% for projects of the relevant district, town, municipal or city council.

The licence holder must allocate funds each year and pay for all approved projects. Payments to contractors, subcontractors and other project partners must be reported in writing to the council and the Mining Commission.

Follow the approval process (Regulations 7 to 9)

The plan is reviewed by the Technical Committee and the relevant council. If the council returns the plan for improvement, the licence holder must revise and resubmit it within 14 days.

The council must submit a satisfactory plan to the Ministers responsible for local government and finance within 14 days. If no response is received within 21 days after the Ministers received it, the plan is treated as approved. The council then has seven days to send it to the licence holder, who has a further seven days to submit it to the Mining Commission.

Take responsibility for project delivery (Regulation 15)

Under the 2025 amendments, the licence holder is responsible for:

• implementing the plan using its own procurement procedures

• hiring a contractor or another person to carry out the approved projects

• paying all project costs, including feasibility reports and construction estimates where required; and

• submitting quarterly implementation reports to the Mining Commission and the relevant council.

Each side must meet the cost of any experts it appoints. (Regulation 7(3).)

Report and keep records (Regulations 14 and 16)

The licence holder must report funds used and projects completed to the Mining Commission and the council within 14 days after each calendar quarter. The annual report is due within 60 days after 31 December.

Financial and project records must be kept for at least five years.

Monitor project quality (Regulation 16)

The council may inspect contracts, bills of quantities and other project documents. Projects are assessed by value for money, price, quality and work completed.

If a contractor performs below standard or departs from the approved plan, the licence holder must act to ensure the project is corrected and completed as approved.

Deal with unused or insufficient funds (Regulations 12 and 13)

Unused funds and the reasons must be reported to the council and the Mining Commission. The funds carry forward to the next financial year without affecting that year's planned projects.

A surplus may be used for another project by agreement. Any project shortfall must be considered in the following year's plan.

Provide public education (Regulation 18)

The licence holder and the relevant council, working with the Ministry responsible for mining, must educate the public about mining licence holders' community responsibilities at least twice each year.

Non-compliance (Regulation 21)

A licence holder that fails to comply with the Regulations commits an offence under the Mining Act and may face action under section 63 of the Act.

Practical takeaway: Start community consultation early, maintain a compliance calendar, keep clear project and payment records, and monitor contractors closely.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this paper are those of the author only and should not be considered as an official interpretation, defamatory, or interference of any legislation, laws, or policies of any country including Tanzania. The contents of this paper should not under any circumstances be reproduced or used without the express written consent of the Author. It should not be considered as legal advice to any of its recipient(s) and should not be relied upon without obtaining further legal advice. We accept no liability for any loss occasioned or suffered due to the contents of this paper. The information contained herein is general and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular deal. Although effort has been made to research and share the correct information, we do not provide any guarantee to such information. This Article does not represent any decision or attempts to present the position or decisions of any Government Authority, including the Government of Tanzania and its bodies.