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Legalbrief   |   your legal news hub Thursday 31 October 2024

Mine stormed after fake notice

About 300 people last week invaded a pit at Gemfields Group's ruby mine in Mozambique, which accounts for about half the world's supply of the stones. CEO Sean Gilbertson said two people were shot and injured by police. Fin24 reports that he said ruby smuggling syndicates had sparked a disinformation campaign earlier that the company ‘opened its mine for mining by anyone’ when it hadn't. Gemfields shares ended down 0.4% in Johannesburg yesterday, after losing 2.5% earlier in the day. The company has faced repeated incursions at the mine site, located in one of Mozambique's poorest regions. In 2019, the company reached a settlement over allegations of human-rights abuses around the operation. It didn't admit liability.