AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Ministry of Minerals has attributed a low level of calcium oxide and high level of magnesium oxide on parts of limestone rocks in Kigoma Region to have pushed the production cost of cement beyond the state limit.
The ministry informed the Parliament yesterday that plans were underway to commission the state mining corporation—Stamico to train miners and entrepreneurs in Uvinza and Makere to apply affordable technology in the production of limestone raw materials for other purposes such as fertilisers.
“They can be able to produce such raw materials for elution plants, construction and paints, iron, drug, cosmetics and environmental protection,” Mr Doto Biteko said.
He was responding to a basic question from Chadema MP Daniel Nsanzugwanko (Kasulu-Urban).
The lawmaker explained that Uvinza and Makere in the region had been sitting on massive limestone rocks which were potential for the production of cement.
He claimed the Tanzania Geological Survey (GST) had been backed by technical studies.
In his question, Mr Nsanzugwanko wanted the government to explain factors limiting Stamico from expanding a cement plant that could boost the region and the country’s economy.
Mr Biteko explained that Kigoma Region harboured massive limestone rocks similar to other regions in the western part of the country which had variations in the content of both magnesium oxide (MgO) and calcium oxide (CaO-lime).
Cement production requires at least 48 per cent of CaO-lime and MgO of less than 5 per cent.
GST studies in Uvinza and Makere have found that the areas host the highest levels of MgO at 16 per cent and the lowest level of CaO-lime at between 30 and 35 per cent, making it very expensive to transform the rocks into quality cement production.
Apparently, the minister said the limestone rocks in the western parts of the country were generally with lower than 48 per cent of calcium oxide.
He named some areas with limestone to include Uvinza, Makere, Nyamori, Ulombola, Nyakachaka, Lugufu and Mugundozi (Mkondossi) River.
He noted that limestone with the best quality was, therefore, located in coast regions and had been 48 and 56 per cent of calcium oxide needed in cement production.
