Mozambique Bans Precious Gems Trade

Mozambique has banned the trade of precious stones in the country, following the discovery that a large number of unregistered foreign buyers were purchasing the stones, according to the Independent Online.

The government-run Investment Promotion Centre reported in its Daily Investor Intelligence publication that recent discoveries of tourmalines and rubelite in the central rural district of Barue had caused a rush by local diggers who were then selling the stones to illegal foreigners from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Senegal and other countries.