Tanzania goes ahead with soda ash project on Lake Natron

30 Jul '12

1 min read

Working in association with the National Development Corporation (NDC), Tanzania’s Ministry for Industry and Trade has completed the scientific study to prevent environmental degradation in Lake Natron due to mining of soda ash, the Minister for Industry and Trade, Dr. Abdallah Kigoda informed the National Assembly.

Presenting his Ministry’s budget estimates for Financial Year 2012-13 before the Assembly, the Minister informed that the study focused on chemical, ecological, hydrological and hydrodynamic aspects.

Earlier, environment activists opposed implementation of the project, claiming that it would annihilate the habitat of lesser flamingos and gradually would also encroach upon the tourism in the area.

The Minister informed that the NDC had started mining soda ash ores at Engaruka area, an area rich in soda ash deposits, just 50 km from Lake Natron.

Upon conclusion, the project is expected to produce 500,000 tons of soda during the very first year of its operation, he added.

However, he also said that implementation of the project would be largely subject to infrastructural developments like revamping of the Tanga-Arusha railway line, expansion of the Tanga port and construction of a railway line from Arusha to Lake Natron.

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