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JSE-listed mining company Gemfields says it operations in the Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique have not been affected by the latest attacks by insurgents linked to the Islamic State.
"While MRM has implemented certain travel restrictions, its mining and processing operations remain unaffected," it said in a market update.
According to Gemfields, last week’s attacks in Ancuabe reportedly included the killing of two employees of the Ancuabe Graphite Project owned by Grafex Limitada, a subsidiary of Australian company Triton Minerals Limited. Voice of America reported that two guards and a police officer were beheaded.
Gemfields says the attack was 65km from the Montepuez Ruby Mining Limitada (MRM) operations, in which it has a 75% stake. MRM is believed to be the most significant recently discovered ruby deposit in the world.
It said the attacks happened between 15km and 40km north of the N1 and N14 roads, the principal route used by MRM to travel to and from Pemba, the provincial capital.
"At the time of writing, military escorts are accompanying civilian vehicles on the stretch of road closer to Pemba," Gemfields said.
"Gemfields and MRM hold the health and safety of their employees and contractors as their highest priority. The group remains in regular contact with government authorities and is closely monitoring developments."
Bloomberg reported in April that Southern African nations are considering extending the deployment of troops fighting the Cabo Delgado insurgency that prompted TotalEnergies to stall a $20 billion (about R292 billion) natural gas project.
President Filipe Nyusi asked Southern African Development Community and Rwanda for military help after a March 2021 raid on Palma that left dozens dead. TotalEnergies withdraw staff and declared force majeure on its project.
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