Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) has called on Mozambican authorities to take stronger action against the networks behind illegal gemstone trading, following a deadly tunnel collapse at its northern concession. The company, 75% owned by London-listed Gemfields, stressed in a Monday statement the urgent need for government intervention to halt those who “finance, facilitate, and encourage” the illicit extraction and sale of Mozambican rubies.
The appeal for stronger enforcement comes after a tragic incident on the morning of December 27, when MRM security teams discovered unauthorized mining activity within the Cabo Delgado concession. Overnight heavy rains had left the ground dangerously unstable, causing a localized collapse as three illegal miners attempted to dig underground tunnels. Two men suffered minor injuries and were helped off the site by their peers, but a 24-year-old from the Mueda district tragically lost his life. His body was later recovered by a joint patrol near a surveillance post, and the case has been handed over to the National Criminal Investigation Service.
The latest fatality highlights the growing security risks and operational challenges at what is considered the world’s most valuable ruby deposit. In its statement, MRM warned that repeated illegal incursions not only endanger lives but also deprive the Mozambican government of vital tax revenues. “This incident has been brought to the attention of district, provincial, and national authorities in the hope that more proactive measures will be taken against those who finance, facilitate, and encourage the illegal trade in Mozambican rubies, which harms Mozambique and its people,” the company said.
These incursions have already begun affecting MRM’s operations and capital projects. Gemfields previously announced that its traditional November/December ruby auction would be postponed to January 2026, citing significant delays in bringing a second processing plant online. The $70 million facility, designed to triple processing capacity to 600 tonnes per hour, has repeatedly been targeted by acts of “sabotage.” Company reports indicate that daily incursions by 250 to 400 illegal miners have disrupted the plant’s supply infrastructure, forcing adjustments to the fiscal calendar.
Security at the site continues to be a major concern, following a violent incident on October 15 in which two members of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) were killed during an incursion by 40 miners. One of the officers was a commander in Mozambique’s Natural Resources Protection Force. While MRM noted that conditions at the site have remained relatively calm since the attack, the company suggested that the violence may have been fuelled by local tensions linked to immigration investigations in neighbouring villages.
While MRM maintains continuous community outreach and awareness programs to highlight the dangers of illegal mining, company officials stress that private security and corporate social responsibility initiatives cannot replace effective law enforcement. The firm continues to call for a decisive crackdown on the financial networks driving the illicit trade, warning that the tragic loss of life and valuable resources is a direct consequence of insufficient “proactive measures” against the sophisticated syndicates behind illegal ruby extraction.
