The London-based company group Gemfields resumed its
operations this Monday at a ruby mine which had been suspended last week,
following an attack attributed to insurgents in district of Montepuez,
northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.
The attack was on a neighbouring ruby mine neighbouring belonging to
Gemrock, located approximately 12km south-east of Montepuez Ruby Mining
Limitada ("MRM"), in which Gemfields holds a 75% interest.
As a precautionary measure Gemfields decided to initiate an evacuation of
operational employees and contractors by suspending mining operations on
the site.
MRM's security personnel and the Mozambique police force remained on site
at MRM. The Mozambique military arrived at MRM later that day to maintain a
presence for the foreseeable future.
However, Gemfields has decided to resume its operations. "Key operational
personnel have now returned to MRM and basic operations have resumed",
announced Gemfields in statement posted on its website on Monday.
Mining and processing activities are being resumed in phases after giving
due consideration to the threat perceptions in the licence area.
"Gemfields and MRM hold the health and safety of their employees and
contractors as their highest priority. MRM remains on a state of high alert
and maintains regular dialogue with government authorities", it adds.
MRM holds a 25-year concession on an area of 340 square kilometres in
Montepuez, in Cabo Delgado. Since 2014, over 830 million dollars have been
raised from the auction of rubies and other gems from the mine.
According to official estimates, since October 2017 terrorist attacks have
caused over 3,000 deaths and at least 900,000 internally displaced people
in Cabo Delgado, triggering a humanitarian crisis.
Copyright Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source News Service English