Miner who became an overnight millionaire digging up huge gemstones brings fortune to £3 million selling ANOTHER find

In June, two dark violet-blue gemstones, each about the size of a forearm, were discovered by Laizer in one of the tanzanite mines in the north of the country, which are surrounded by a wall to control cross-border smuggling of the gemstones.

Back then the miner, who was reported as having more than 30 children, told the BBC he would hold a big party to celebrate his windfall.

Aside from party, he planned to open a shopping mall and a school for his community in Simanjiro district in northern Manyara region, along with a health facility.

Tanzanite is a gemstone found only in a small northern region of the East African nation.

Minerals Minister Doto Biteko said on state television at the first cheque presentation ceremony that the government was buying the rare minerals for preservation.

“We’re signing agreements today in public to facilitate the cash transfe... and the government recognises Laizer is a new billionaire,” he said, speaking in terms of the local currency.

Laizer told the media: “The money that I have received today, I will allocate it to more development activities."

Tanzania is a rich country, President John Magufuli said when congratulating him.

Mining activities accounted for 17 per cent of the East African country’s GDP in 2019.

President Magufuli’s administration has imposed reforms that seek to curb smuggling and increase revenue collection in the sector.

Mines Ministry spokesman, Simon Msanjila, said after his first two hauls: “Today’s event... is to recognise the two largest tanzanite gemstones in history since the beginning of mining activities in Mirerani."

Laizer was pictured on Tanzanian television being presented with a large cheque after the Bank of Tanzania bought the gemstones.

Tanzania last year set up trading centres around the country to allow artisanal miners to sell their gems and gold to the government.

Artisanal miners are not officially employed by any mining companies and usually mine by hand in Tanzania, one of Africa's poorest countries.

Three years ago Tanzania ordered walls to be built around tanzanite mines to end illegal trade.

Magufuli’s government accused mining firms of cheating Tanzania out of its fair share of mineral wealth through tax dodging and smuggling, allegations they denied in 2017.

A parliamentary inquiry team said that it had uncovered massive smuggling of the blue-violet tanzanite gemstone, which is used for ornaments and is coloured blue, red, purple or even green.

The mines are located 16km south of Kilimanjaro Airport.