Gemfields has resumed operations at its 75%-owned Montepuez ruby mine (MRM) in Mozambique’s province of Cabo Delgado after police and the army shot and killed two people who attempted to storm the deposit.
IdexOnline reports more than 200 people attempted to invade the MRM Village, which is close to the mine, on Christmas Eve.
The mine is now operating at full capacity as normalcy returned.
The country has been in turmoil since the disputed elections on 9 October 2024, in which the Frelimo party extended its 58-year rule.
The Mozambican Constitutional Council recently confirmed Frelimo’s victory, which triggered further unrest.
Gemfields said that, based on the trajectory of the ongoing situation, this unrest may result in interruptions to MRM’s mining operations.
It said in the areas surrounding MRM, groups associated with the illegal mining and trading of rubies have taken advantage of the political unrest.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor-In-Chief, Rough & Polished
