Two Police Officers Killed at Gemfields' Ruby Mine
October 18, 25
(IDEX Online) - Two police officers were killed after illegal miners stormed the Montepuez ruby mine in northern Mozambique.
Gemfields, majority owner of the mine, said that it followed repeated attempts to sabotage its new $70m processing plant in recent weeks.
On the day of the attack (15 October), a group of approximately 40 illegal miners marched on the mine gate at Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM).
"They proceeded to attack Mozambican police officers present at the gate, killing two, one of whom was a commander of Mozambique's Natural Resources Protection Force," it said in a statement.
The mine has a history of violent incursions, notably in February 2020 when 800 artisanal miners invaded the part of the concession area. They undercut the outer edge of a mining pit, causing a collapse in which 11 of them died.
The Cabo Delgado province, where the mine is located, has also been plagued by Islamist insurgency activity since 2017.
"MRM has been informed that the attack may be related to district immigration authorities investigating, earlier in the day, suspected illegal immigrants in a local village and during which it is reported that an individual died." No worker or contractor at the mine was hurt.
UK-based Gemfields, the world's largest colored gemstone miner, has postponed its usual November/December ruby auction to January/February 2026.
Pic, courtesy Gemfields, shows the new processing plant at Montepuez.