About Company
The Institute of Geology and Mineral Research Tanzania (GST) is derived from the old Department of Mines called Geological Survey Department (GSD). This department was established in 1925 by the British Overseas Management Authority (BOMA). The first director of GSD was Dr. EO Teale (1925-1936) and the GSD headquarters were in Dodoma.
GSD was established to accelerate the growth of the Mining Industry in the British Colony of Tanganyika and the main tasks were geological surveying and mapping as well as mineral research. Despite the existence of various administrative changes during the colonial period and after the independence of Tanzania, the duties of this department continued to remain the same.
In the early 2000s, the Government initiated the process of establishing Government Agencies and when it arrived in December, 2005, the Tanzania Geological Agency was established by the Government Agency Act No. 30 of 1997 [CAP. 245] as amended by Law No. 14 of 2009 under the former Ministry of Energy and Minerals.
The Government’s decision to make GST an Agency was aimed at reducing the size of the Government and increasing the quality and efficiency of geoscience work and attracting investors in the Mining Sector from within and outside the country. As a result of these legal and policy changes, investment in the Mining Sector increased significantly in the early 2000s where exploration and mining companies proliferated. The increase in investment in the Mining Sector also led to an increase in the demand for geoscientific information that is important in knowing the areas with potential mineral deposits.
In July, 2017 the Government of Tanzania made Amendments to the Mining Law of 2010 through the Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, No. 7 of the Year 2017. Following the Amendment, the GST Structure was amended which led to the creation of the Tanzania Geology and Mineral Research Institute (GST) from the Tanzania Geology Agency and the addition of new responsibilities.