Gemfields Investigates Slavery at Ruby Deposit

RAPAPORT… Gemfields has discovered illegal miners working for
modern-slavery syndicates at its Montepuez ruby mine in Mozambique, after noticing a rise in the number of deaths caused by illegal-pit collapses at the site.



The miners, some of whom are juveniles, are poverty-stricken
and unemployed individuals recruited by well-financed syndicate leaders or
middlemen, Gemfields said last week. The recruiters offer to pay for tools,
food, water and accommodation for these workers, to be repaid through the sale
of rubies they mine.


The illegal miners then become indebted to the syndicates,
and are unable to pay them back, Gemfields noted. A number of these miners have
been killed when the illegal pits in which they were operating collapsed.


The miner has consulted with the Mozambican government,
which is currently working to identify the source of the activities.
Additionally, Gemfields has been providing assistance in rescue-and-recovery
operations, it said, as well as increasing the signage warnings on its site
regarding the dangers of illegal mining.


Image: Rubies from the Montepuez ruby mine. (Gemfields)