GEMFIELDS, the ruby and emerald miner and marketer, has evacuated an exploration property in Mozambique following renewed insurgency.
The company said in an announcement today that attacks attributed to insurgents took place in the village of Nairoto which is situated in Mozambique’s northerly Cabo Delgado province. Gemfields’ 75%-owned Nairoto Resources (NRL) is undertaking exploration some 15 kilometres south west of Nairoto.
“As a consequence, NRL has initiated the process of evacuating operational employees and contractors, and therefore operations at the site have ceased,” the company said.
Gemfields’ Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) owns the Montepuez mine which is situated 83km south of Nairoto. However, the company said operations at the mine were undisturbed. “Gemfields, MRM and NRL hold the health and safety of their employees and contractors as their highest priority and remain in regular contact with government authorities,” Gemfields said.
Insurgency, thought to be jihadist in nature, last affected Gemfields in October in which the company evacuated MRM. Operations were resumed after about a week.
In March 2021, about 60,000 people fled jihadist attacks in Cabo Delgado and turned up in the vicinity of Montepuez. The coastal gas town of Palma, about 150km from Montepuez had been overwhelmed by jihadist renegades.
