It has been reported that the much-awaited Kabanga Nickel Project will soon start its operations.

The Minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo told the 'Daily News' in an exclusive interview that the Tanzanian government would buy shares which would later be sold to the public.

He appealed to Tanzanians to utilise the opportunity to speed up development. He said a total of 80 Megawatts would be produced at Rusumo Falls to generate power at Kabanga Nickel mine.

Deputy Minister for Transport, Dr Charles Tizeba said during his recent tour of Kagera Region that the project would also be linked to an international 1,672kms railway network connecting Dar es Salaam-Isaka-Keza (Tanzania) - Mungozi (Burundi) to Kigali (Rwanda).

The KabangaNickel Project is an active mine exploration project 130kms south west of Lake Victoria in Ngara District, Kagera Region. The project is a joint venture between Barrick Gold and Xstrata Nickel. At full capacity the mine is estimated to employ over 2,000 people. At present Xstrata has invested 95 million US dollars in the pre-feasibility stage of development.

Kabanga's 58 million ton nickel mine is regarded as one of the best undeveloped greenfield nickel sulphide deposits in the world.