IS THE WORLD READY TO BAN THE GEMSTONE MINERALS TRADE?

Adeladius Makwega – Mbagala

It was the evening of July 19, 2026. Mwanakwetu received a phone call from a relative who shared the results of a Form Six student who had achieved a First Division with eight points.

"She says she is going to study Mining Engineering."

Mwanakwetu welcomed the news warmly and congratulated the student on her excellent performance.

Her relative added:

"But people say that if you study mining, the problem is finding a job."

Mwanakwetu replied:

"No. A student's responsibility is to study. Employment comes after graduation, although it is certainly wise to pursue a field with good prospects in the job market."

The relative continued:

"The mining sector has faced challenges for a long time—not only in Tanzania but across the world."

Mwanakwetu asked:

"Why?"

His relative replied:

"Take a country like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). It is immensely rich in minerals, yet peace and stability remain extremely scarce."

Mwanakwetu responded:

"True, but we cannot tell a child never to marry simply because marriages often experience conflict."

After the conversation ended, Mwanakwetu remained alone, reflecting deeply on the global minerals trade.

He concluded that the poverty, wars, killings, and recurring civil conflicts that have plagued the Democratic Republic of the Congo for nearly a century have existed alongside its extraordinary mineral wealth.

Those resources have failed to bring lasting peace, stability, or broad industrial development to local communities, while major world powers continue to benefit from the country's mineral exports.

Mwanakwetu also reflected that whenever valuable minerals are discovered on someone's land, the greed of those around them often increases. Instead of bringing prosperity, such discoveries can create more conflict than existed before.

In his mind, he compared minerals such as gold and diamonds to the "embe dodo upande," a variety of Tanzanian mango that is unusual: when unripe it is extremely sour, and when partially ripe, one side becomes sweet while the other remains bitter.

"Gold is like an embe dodo upande—half sweet and half bitter."

This mango grows mainly along Tanzania's coastal regions, including Lindi, Pwani, and Dar es Salaam. Unlike ordinary mangoes, which eventually become entirely sweet when ripe, the embe dodo upande remains divided between sweetness and bitterness.

Mwanakwetu wished that minerals such as gold would bring comfort and prosperity to humanity instead of being half blessing and half curse.

He then asked himself:

"What is the real purpose of these minerals, especially gold?"

Gold is a rare and highly valuable metal with four principal uses:

manufacturing jewelry;
storing wealth as financial reserves;
producing electronic devices such as smartphones and computers; and
medical applications, particularly dentistry and certain specialized treatments.

However, more than half of all gold is estimated to be used primarily as a store of wealth. Moreover, several of its other applications can often be performed using alternative materials or technologies.

Indeed, wherever large gold deposits are found, one frequently encounters the sounds of gunfire, police sirens, killings, and recurring conflicts. Even in peaceful areas, thousands of people rush into mining sites searching for tiny traces of gold in hopes of escaping poverty, believing that owning gold is a pathway to wealth. Others regret having sold or abandoned their land before discovering that it contained valuable mineral deposits.

The central question of this article is:

"Does the gemstone and precious minerals trade still provide genuine benefits to humanity? If we compare its consequences with those of the slave trade, would such a comparison really be unfair?"

Historically, the slave trade was abolished for several reasons, including:

religious principles;
human rights;
legal reforms; and
economic considerations.

Mwanakwetu believes that some of these same arguments can also be applied to today's gemstone and precious minerals trade.

From a legal perspective, mining regions are often characterized by ownership disputes, court cases, environmental complaints, violence, and killings.

From a human rights perspective, many mining communities continue to experience poor working conditions, low wages, and exploitation, even though the minerals they produce are sold for enormous profits.

Economically, a large proportion of gemstones and precious metals serves primarily as a store of wealth. Those who possess the greatest reserves often wield the greatest economic power.

Mwanakwetu believes that if this wealth were redirected into activities that create greater benefits for humanity, the world might gain far more than it does from continuing to treasure a stone that cannot feed people or extend human life.

Regarding religion, Mwanakwetu recalls:

"One day I was attending Mass. During the parish announcements, the parish secretary announced several achievements, including the purchase of a gold Tabernacle valued at approximately 11–17 million Tanzanian shillings.

For readers who are not Catholic, the Tabernacle is the sacred place on the altar where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved after Holy Communion."

After Mass, Mwanakwetu joined a group of parishioners discussing the cost of the new Tabernacle.

One parishioner remarked:

"If I had been Chairman of the Parish Council, I would never have recommended purchasing a gold Tabernacle. Gold raises too many questions. We do not know under what conditions it was mined or how much suffering was involved in obtaining it. I would have recommended using another metal instead. Personally, I have serious reservations about gold."

At the time, Mwanakwetu paid little attention to those comments. However, after his recent reflections, he now believes the idea deserves serious consideration throughout the global Catholic Church.

Indeed, the Catholic Church uses gold in certain sacred liturgical objects, including chalices, bishops' staffs (croziers), and ornaments on some vestments worn by Church leaders.

Mwanakwetu believes that if the international community were to agree collectively to prohibit the gemstone and precious minerals trade, much of the world could become safer.

He therefore presents this idea to world leaders—particularly the United Nations—for careful consideration, just as the international community once united to abolish the slave trade.