Maputo — The London-based company group Gemfields resumed its operations this Monday at a ruby mine which had been suspended last week, following an attack attributed to insurgents in district of Montepuez, northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.

The attack was on a neighbouring ruby mine neighbouring belonging to Gemrock, located approximately 12km south-east of Montepuez Ruby Mining Limitada ("MRM"), in which Gemfields holds a 75% interest.

As a precautionary measure Gemfields decided to initiate an evacuation of operational employees and contractors by suspending mining operations on the site.

MRM's security personnel and the Mozambique police force remained on site at MRM. The Mozambique military arrived at MRM later that day to maintain a presence for the foreseeable future.

However, Gemfields has decided to resume its operations. "Key operational personnel have now returned to MRM and basic operations have resumed", announced Gemfields in statement posted on its website on Monday.

Mining and processing activities are being resumed in phases after giving due consideration to the threat perceptions in the licence area.

"Gemfields and MRM hold the health and safety of their employees and contractors as their highest priority. MRM remains on a state of high alert and maintains regular dialogue with government authorities", it adds.

MRM holds a 25-year concession on an area of 340 square kilometres in Montepuez, in Cabo Delgado. Since 2014, over 830 million dollars have been raised from the auction of rubies and other gems from the mine.

According to official estimates, since October 2017 terrorist attacks have caused over 3,000 deaths and at least 900,000 internally displaced people in Cabo Delgado, triggering a humanitarian crisis.