Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) warns of the increased dangers of illegal mining, following an incident on March 18 at its concession in Namanhumbir, Cabo Delgado province, which resulted in the bullet wounding of an illegal miner during a confrontation with a patrol from the Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM)..

According to a statement released on Monday (24), the incident took place at around 10.40 a.m., when a large group of illegal miners was identified operating within the area concessioned to MRM. "The individuals allegedly advanced in a hostile manner against a FADM patrol team, which prompted warning shots, with one of the miners being hit in the lower limb," the statement said.

The injured miner was identified as a 29-year-old male from the district of Mogolovas, in Nampula province, and resident in the village of Nanuni. He was immediately treated at the MRM clinic and then transferred to Montepuez District Hospital, where he received further medical care.

MRM says that it runs an ongoing awareness-raising program with neighboring communities, which are often used as temporary refuges by illegal miners, in order to alert them to the human, legal and environmental risks inherent in illegal mining.

The company also says that this incident has been reported to the district, provincial and national authorities, with the expectation that more effective and coordinated measures will be taken against those who finance, facilitate or encourage the illicit trade in rubies.

The MRM stresses that such practices seriously harm the Mozambican state, not only through the loss of human lives, but also through the evasion of tax revenue that is essential for national development.

(Photo DR)