Twiga Minerals — North Mara and Bulyanhulu
Barrick and Government of Tanzania joint venture
The state-partnered joint venture that resolved Tanzania's dispute with Barrick, holding the North Mara and Bulyanhulu gold mines under a 16 per cent government shareholding.
- Structure
- Barrick 84% / Government of Tanzania 16%
- Assets
- North Mara, Bulyanhulu (and Buzwagi legacy)
- Primary mineral
- Gold, with silver and copper credits
- Regions
- Mara (Tarime) and Shinyanga (Kahama)
- Current status
- Producing
How the joint venture came about
Twiga Minerals was created in 2020 to settle a years-long standoff over unpaid taxes, an export ban on mineral concentrates and disputed valuations. The settlement gave the state a free-carried stake plus a share of economic benefits, and became the template government points to in dealings with other large investors.
The North Mara human rights record
North Mara carries the most serious community record of any East African gold mine: repeated deaths and injuries in confrontations between security forces and intruders on the mine's waste rock and tailings areas, and litigation brought in overseas courts on behalf of affected families.
Remediation commitments, an independent grievance mechanism and changes to security arrangements have all been announced. The Bulletin tracks documented incidents, not company assurances.
Bulyanhulu
Bulyanhulu is a deep underground gold mine restarted after a period on reduced operations. Its tailings history and the 1990s displacement of artisanal miners from the site remain part of the asset's unresolved record.
Compiled from public licence records, government statements and Bulletin reporting. A profile is not an endorsement. Corrections: newsroom@mineralbulletin.com