Editor’s Note
This report details a significant illegal incursion at a major ruby mining operation in Mozambique, highlighting ongoing security challenges in the region’s gemstone sector.
A total of 44 people have been arrested this year for illegal ruby mining at Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM), a company operating in Cabo Delgado. The company reported a “large-scale” raid on its mine on Friday, November 15, 2024.
reads a statement from MRM sent to the media on Tuesday.
According to the company, an agent of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) and a security guard were taken hostage during the raid. They were told not to “ask for help” but were “released unharmed” after the arrival of reinforcements.
In the document, MRM states that the leaders and those involved in last Friday’s raid, some of whom were foreigners, have been identified.
the mining company said, adding that it has been warning about the dangers of illegal mining to “dissuade individuals from putting themselves and others at risk.”
MRM is a Mozambican company that exploits the Montepuez ruby deposit, covering approximately 33,600 hectares in Cabo Delgado province, northeastern Mozambique. MRM is 75% owned by Gemfields and 25% by Mwiriti Limitada, a Mozambican company.