Mozambique: Illegal mining conviction at MRM – Montepuez Ruby Mining | Press Release

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Mozambique: Illegal mining conviction at MRM – Montepuez Ruby Mining | Press Release

9:04 CAT | 20 Sep 2021

in file CoM

Illegal miner Ramadane Sumail, a 28 year-old Tanzanian national was detained whilst mining illegally on the MRM concession. Following the arrest, Mr Sumail was tried in court and convicted of the crime of Research and Illegal Exploitation of Mineral Resources. He was sentenced to 1 year imprisonment and a fine of 1 year at a daily rate of 150 meticals.

As a Tanzanian national, he will be deported to Tanzania once he has served his prison sentence.

Mr Sumail received the minimum penalty available for the crime of Research and Illegal Exploitation of Mineral Resources. The penalty varies from 1 to 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to 2 years.

The growing number of incidents, attacks and fatalities involving illegal miners on the Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) concession is a major concern for the company and for local communities, whose villages are strained by the influx of illegal miners from distant towns, neighbouring provinces and foreign countries. Unsafe practices by illegal miners, who are typically overseen or coerced by illegal gemstone smuggling syndicates financed by foreign traders operating in the region, continues to result in the needless loss of life in the area.

MRM undertakes ongoing communication activities to warn of the hazards of illegal mining and urges individuals not to undertake such activities. MRM also spreads awareness in nearby communities (where the illegal miners take temporary shelter) of the dangers of illegal mining.

These incidents have been brought to the attention of the authorities both at the provincial and federal levels in the hope that action will be taken more proactively against those who are financing, facilitating and encouraging the illegal trade in Mozambican rubies which hurts Mozambique and its people as a result of the loss of lives and the deprivation of much-needed tax revenue from Mozambique’s mineral resources.

Source: Montepuez Ruby Mining via Cine Group