Tanzania is seeking to exploit its platinum resources, a Government minister has announced.

Platinum is one of a number of natural mineral resources targeted for exploration projects, the Minister for Energy and Minerals, Daniel Yona, has told the Tanzanian National Assembly.

In an effort linked to the drive to reduce unemployment and other economic problems through recourse to the country's potential minerals wealth, a number of preliminary studies have been made.

In cooperation with the Nordic Development Fund, Mr Yona's ministry has been collecting geological and geophysical information on subterranean rocks in the Rukwa, Shinyanga, Kagera and Mara regions.

This data, he said, would be used in the development of a geological map and the establishment of a Mining Cadastre System (MCS). He is confident that this will boost the Tanzanian mining sector, and attract foreign investment:

'It is through developing geological and geophysical maps that we can easily woo investors into the emerging potential mineral sector', he said.

'The maps enable mineral prospecting firms to identify areas with high mineral potentials, hence seek mineral prospecting licences.'