Barrick’s greenfields ambition in Tanzania

Barrick’s greenfields ambition in Tanzania

Barrick’s Siga and Nzega greenfields projects in Tanzania could become tier one prospects.

Barrick continues its growth path in Tanzania through the successful Twiga Partnership with the Tanzanian government. At the same time the mining giant is focussing on greenfields exploration of Tanzania’s unexplored gold regions.

Barrick’s Siga and Nzega prospects are early-stage exploration areas that lie within the Lake Victoria Goldfields.

The Nzega project, covering more than 2,800 km² in the Nzega Greenstone Belt, and the Siga project, spanning 570 km², sit within structurally complex granite–greenstone terranes.

These belts host the same orogenic systems that produced Barrick’s prolific Bulyanhulu gold mine. Mineralisation in these systems is often shear-hosted, with quartz-sulphide veining.

Both Nzega and Siga have seen limited modern exploration due to sedimentary cover and tenure fragmentation, gaps Barrick now aims to close.

Replacing ounces for a healthy pipeline

“Airborne geophysics and drilling are planned for the newly consolidated Siga and Nzega greenfield prospects,” says CEO Mark Bristow, underlining their importance to Barrick’s long-term growth strategy.

“These endeavours are aimed at replacing the ounces being mined today and building a healthy pipeline for tomorrow.”

While greenfields work at Nzega and Siga ramps up, resource extension drilling is ongoing at Barrick’s key operations in Tanzania.

At North Mara, the Gokona and Gena targets are being tested, while at Bulyanhulu, drilling is targeting additional ounces along the Reef 1 and Reef 2 structures, which have historically yielded some of the highest-grade gold in the region.

With a mandate to discover the next Tier One asset, Barrick is deploying high-resolution geophysics and first-phase drilling in 2025.

WhyAfrica gets our boots dirty

WhyAfrica visited all Barrick’s operations during our 2024 Road Trip, witnessing first-hand the transformation underway.

With boots back on the ground soon, we remind our followers that the 2025 WhyAfrica Road Trip kicks off in just a few weeks.

There is still more than enough time to become part of the 2025 WhyAfrica Road Trip story, all you need to do send us an email or even better contact us on WhatsApp.

Remember WhyAfrica tracks early-stage exploration projects across Africa. WhyAfrica doesn’t only report about these projects, we live it. During our WhyAfrica Road Trips across Africa, we aim to visit as many project sites as possible to get context so that we can give our members insightful and credible information.

Last year we ventured down Barrick’s world class Bulyanhulu underground mine in the morning before heading to their ongoing exploration drilling programme on surface, accompanies by top geologists.

Image: At the face of Bulyanhulu. Image credit: Leon Louw for WhyAfrica