Gravel miners in Zuzu Ward, Tanzania, are appealing for urgent government assistance after the closure of their primary quarry left dozens of families without income.

The shutdown, prompted by environmental and safety violations, has sparked calls for swift relocation to alternative sites where mining can continue under proper regulation.

The suspension of operations at the long-established quarry has created significant economic hardship for residents who depended on daily earnings from gravel extraction.Elderly miners and young workers, who relied on the site as their sole means of supporting their families, are now facing severe challenges.

During a public meeting, Dodoma Regional Commissioner Rosemary Senyamule visited Zuzu Ward to address citizen complaints, instructing mining authorities to allow miners to remove already extracted gravel before Thursday to prevent financial losses.She also ordered the Mining Commission to accelerate efforts in identifying an alternative mining site.Government officials justified the closure due to environmental risks, including land degradation and threats to nearby infrastructure.While the government aims to relocate miners to a new site in Nzinje, residents expressed frustration over the lack of prior communication.

The closure highlights the tension between economic activities and environmental protection, with miners pleading for continued work under safe conditions.