One year ago, in November 2024, I stood beside our team in Buziba, Geita, as we commissioned Mwamba’s 120 tonne/day Carbon-in-Pulp (CIP) gold processing site, a safe and more efficient method for gold recovery. With Mwamba’s technology, recovery gold rates average 90-95%, compared to just 30–40% using the traditional toxic mercury-processing method, commonly used by artisanal and small-scale gold miners (ASGM) in Tanzania. For me, a son of Mwanza (Geita’s neighbouring town) who grew up around ASGM, this was a full-circle moment. Seeing our team, partners, and community celebrating together that day reminded me that this wasn’t just about gold — it was about proving that progress can be built right here at home.
Fast forward a few weeks, and that feeling was overshadowed by the pride I felt on the day we poured our first mercury-free gold bar. Our CIP plant, complete with an elution circuit for onsite smelting, ensures that ore is transformed from raw material to final doré bar using modern, mercury-free technology. At that moment, I understood that Buziba was more than a plant — it was the beginning of a new chapter for ASGM in Tanzania.
One year later, we have proudly achieved more milestones that reflect not only operational success, but profound social, economic, and environmental impact:
- Economic & Environmental Impact: We have poured over 65 kg of gold, preventing an estimated 80–100 kg of mercury from polluting the environment — mercury that would have contaminated waterways and harmed families. Miners using our mercury-free system recovered up to 40% more gold, generating an estimated USD 2-3 million in additional income.
- Jobs and Skills: Our team has grown to 140 full-time employees, of whom over 100 come from the surrounding community. All of our staff working at the Joint Venture (JV) mines are now on fair payroll, and shift hours have been standardized to 8 hours, replacing the 24-on/24-off system still common in many ASM sites.
- Internships & Apprenticeships: We have welcomed 10 University of Dar es Salaam students — future mining engineers, metallurgists, and mechanical engineers — for hands-on training across production, mining, geology, and engineering. We have also sponsored 45 apprentices from Buziba village, training them in welding, metallurgy, crushing operations, electrical work, and mechanics. These are not temporary jobs; they are long-term careers for local youth.
- Community Engagement: We’ve focused on building genuine, long-term relationships in Buziba by investing in initiatives that matter to the community. This has included upgrading local primary school infrastructure and hosting a lively football tournament in Nyarugusu that brought together nearly 200 young boys and girls. We also took part in the Geita Gold Expo in September, showcasing our services and strengthening connections with future partners. To deepen our impact, we’ve established meaningful collaborations with WaterAid and Asante Africa, through which we will continue to implement community-driven projects that support the wellbeing and development of the surrounding area.
- Partnerships: We expanded our Joint Venture Agreement with Barrick Gold Corporation, broadening both the scope and financial commitment of our collaboration. An additional USD 6.6 million has been allocated to advance exploration activities for the Nzega Project, where we also secured an additional prospecting license this year.
- Regional & Global Recognition: Our approach has begun to earn recognition both locally and internationally, highlighting Buziba as a model of what modern, responsible, African-led mining can achieve. The World Gold Council’s report on “The Role of Gold Processing Plants in Artisanal and Small‑Scale Mining” featured Mwamba as one of just two global case studies demonstrating responsible, scalable impact. These recognitions have given us the confidence to open our plant to site tours for delegations looking to benchmark our model.
Our shared vision to transform Tanzania’s artisanal mining sector began to take shape in 2017, when I convinced my Co-founders, Eduard and Thomas Cornew—whom I met at Dartmouth—to visit and see the opportunity firsthand. We founded Mwamba in 2018 with a simple belief: the problem was never the miners, but their lack of access to modern, safe processing infrastructure. That realization sparked the idea for a centralized, mercury-free plant that would allow artisanal miners to recover more gold, safely and fairly. Seven years later, the Buziba CIP plant stands as proof that our persistence, sacrifice, and belief in world-class, homegrown mining solutions is paying off. Our real reward is local miners arriving with their ore and leaving having earned more, without touching mercury.
Why Buziba?
The idea for the Buziba plant came from what I witnessed growing up nearby: miners working tirelessly, yet limited by mercury-based processing. This method recovers only small amounts of gold and exposes both people and the environment to significant harm. Despite government efforts and NGO campaigns highlighting mercury’s dangers, most miners still cannot afford safer alternatives. The challenge was never a lack of willingness to change; it was access to safer alternatives.
Buziba was the natural choice. Located in the heart of Tanzania’s most active artisanal mining corridor — the Lake Victoria Goldfields — it is easily accessible to thousands of miners and sits on highly prospective geology. By 2024, after years of groundwork, a supportive regulatory environment, and securing a USD 1.6 million loan from CRDB, the conditions finally aligned for construction to begin.
Mwamba’s operating model
Since commissioning, Mwamba’s model has evolved into two complementary approaches. We realized that working side by side with miners — not just as buyers but as collaborators — creates far more value for everyone.
1. Processing-Led Responsible Sourcing: For miners who maintain control of their sites, Mwamba processes ore at Buziba using a flexible, fair structure:
- Revenue share: a fixed % of recovered gold based on the average grade of the ore;
- Service Fee: A standard processing fee based on servicing days.
- Ore-purchasing: Price based on measured ore grade and recovery rate
This toll model builds trust because miners see the entire process — from ore entry to the final doré bar. Transparency is the foundation of our relationships.
2. Joint Venture (JV) Mining Partnerships: For selected licensed operators, Mwamba enters JV agreements where we invest capital, equipment, expertise, and safety systems in exchange for a fixed percentage of the ore produced. Under the three active JV partnerships that we have, we have seen that when miners have the right tools and training, productivity and safety rise together.
Mwamba also owns several Mining Permits that will soon be operationalized, further strengthening consistent ore supply to the plant. In addition, we offer a suite of exploration services—drill-rig hire, Mag Surveys, and data consolidation and analysis—to generate cash flow, attract investment, and de-risk mining projects.
Community trust: the most significant ingredient for success
Years of engagement with village leaders, miners, and youth have shown us that formalization succeeds only when it is inclusive—built on respect, mutual understanding, and genuine collaboration rather than imposition. Through regular meetings, open communication, and demonstrating tangible improvements in mine performance, we have built the trust needed for long-term adoption of mercury-free processing. Today, that trust stands as one of Mwamba’s greatest assets.
A foundation built on shared vision by all three Co-founders
Although this story is told through my perspective, Mwamba was built by three co-founders whose experiences and convictions shaped every part of this journey. I grew up in Mwanza, Tanzania, just four hours from the CIP plant, and later studied Chemical Engineering and Earth Sciences at Dartmouth, where I met Thomas and Eduard. Thomas Cornew, our CEO, brings his Mechanical Engineering background to help design and drive the operational efficiency of our work. Our President, Eduard Cornew, leverages his background in Economics and Design Thinking to guide company strategy. This plant exists because of the strength of all three perspectives: a Tanzanian commitment to community, a global standard of innovation, and the shared belief that responsible African mining can lead the world.
What the plant represents
The Buziba plant is more than a facility — it is a model for change. It demonstrates that mercury-free processing can be profitable, sustainable, and scalable. Our ambition has always been bigger than one site: to set a new standard for artisanal and small-scale mining across the continent. Buziba is the first step toward a network of community-centered processing hubs that empower miners, protect the environment, and reshape how Africa approaches gold mining.
It is also the clearest expression of our mission in action — to work hand in hand with our people, partners, and communities, building trust through transparency and driving progress through innovation. By replacing mercury with clean technology, improving recovery rates, and creating safer jobs, the plant has become a foundation for our community programs and a symbol of our enduring presence.
Challenges that shaped Mwamba
Year one was not easy, but it was formative. Equipment failed. Spare parts arrived late. Cash flow stretched as we scaled. We learned that processing requires constant fine-tuning, including the upskilling of our team of operators on the new equipment we introduced. From finance to operations, we had to build new systems from scratch. In the end, we learned that people — not machines — determine success.
Lessons from the first year
Managing processing at this scale has taught us that efficiency, safety, and environmental responsibility must move together. Investing in preventive maintenance, operator training, and strict safety protocols has not only reduced downtime but also strengthened trust with regulators and communities. The lesson is clear: responsible mining is not a cost; it is a long-term advantage that keeps both our operations and our communities strong.
Year one has also taught us that success starts with strong systems, community trust, and disciplined execution. As we look to expand our JV footprint and seek to build new processing plants, we will carry forward the lessons of patience in scaling, transparency in partnerships, and consistency in operations. Every region has its own rhythm — listening and adapting locally will guide how we grow.
Looking ahead: A blueprint for Tanzania — and the world
Looking ahead, our focus is on scaling both impact and production. In Buziba, we’re preparing to expand the plant from 120 tonnes per day to 500, and eventually 1,000 tonnes, while deepening our partnerships with surrounding mining communities to ensure a consistent ore supply to our operations. Beyond Buziba, we’re advancing exploration and joint venture projects across the Lake Victoria Goldfields and laying the groundwork to replicate our model in other regions of Tanzania and, ultimately, across Africa. Our broader ambition is to prove that responsible, mercury-free gold mining can be both commercially successful and a catalyst for sustainable development across the continent.
In partnership with the our friends at Datastake, we are developing a digital traceability system, the Wazi Platform, set to roll out in 2026 across our operations, to ensure full transparency and compliance across its supply chain to enable the company’s compliance with OECD and LBMA responsible sourcing standards, reinforcing Mwamba’s commitment to ethical supply chain management and transparency. The system will allow live risk assessment scanning of every supplying mine site, digitize Know Your Customer (KYC), Due Diligence (DDG), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management processes, and automatically record all transactions, creating end-to-end traceability from ore source to refined gold.
The Wazi platform will enable full traceability of gold from mine to market. It’s about giving buyers confidence in the source of their gold and recognizing miners for producing it responsibly. Innovation will also drive efficiency — from smarter ore tracking to data-driven decision-making across our sites. For us, technology isn’t just about modern mining; it’s about transparency, accountability, and proving that African gold can meet the highest global standards.
None of this would have been possible without our team
As we mark this milestone, Ed, Thomas, and I would like to say: To our Mwamba team, asante sana — your dedication, resilience, and belief made this vision real. To our local partners and community, thank you for walking this journey with us and trusting that responsible mining can bring lasting change. To our investors and supporters, your faith gave us the foundation to build something meaningful here in Tanzania. This milestone belongs to all of us. It’s proof that when people unite around innovation, and purpose, we can turn challenges into progress and dreams into reality.
