DODOMA, Nov. 4 -- MINING royalties are collected through official government systems, with mine and pit owners having no mandate to impose or collect the statutory charges from small-scale miners, the National Assembly has been told.

Deputy Minister for Minerals, Mr Steven Kiruswa said royalties were charged at rates ranging from one to seven per cent, depending on the type of mineral, as provided for under the law.

Eng Kiruswa was responding to a supplementary question from Kahama Urban MP Benjamin Ngaywa (CCM), who raised concerns over various charges allegedly imposed on small-scale gold miners operating within licensed mining areas.

MP Ngaywa said some licence holders were demanding royalties on minerals extracted by small-scale mi...