The country’s production of rubies will grow by 46% in 2024, reaching 3.9 million carats, according to government figures with the results of last year’s exports, Lusa reported on Friday 28 February.
According to the report, ‘in the group of precious and semi-precious stones, the biggest highlight goes to ruby, which recorded, in the period under review, a degree of execution of 128 per cent in relation to the annual plan and a growth rate of 46 per cent.’
The document points out that ruby production thus grew from 2.7 million carats in 2023 to 3.9 million carats in 2024, surpassing the annual target set by the government, which was three million carats last year. This growth, according to the note, was the result of ‘the good performance of the SLR Mining company, which took over the position of largest producer of this mineral resource, with the start-up of another processing plant. SLR Mining was responsible for producing more than 70 per cent of the total of these precious stones. Another factor was the full resumption of production by Moza Minerals, coupled with the fact that Montepuez Ruby Mining carried out intensive excavations in three highly productive blocks.’
Ruby production in Mozambique fell in 2023 to 2.7 million carats, compared to 4.2 million carats in 2022 and five million carats in 2021. The exploitation of these stones alone at MRM’s mine in Cabo Delgado, in the north of the country, has brought in almost a billion dollars since 2012, according to figures previously released by Gemfields, which owns 75 per cent of the company.
According to data up to December from the ‘G Factor for Natural Resources’ report, which aims to promote transparency about the level of wealth from human resources shared by Gemfields with the governments of host countries from the mining, oil, gas, timber and fishing sectors, MRM had a total income of 151.3 million dollars in 2023.
Since Gemfields acquired 75 per cent of MRM – in February 2012, when mining began, with ruby auctions starting two years later – the mine has accumulated revenues of over a billion dollars, paying the Mozambican state 257.4 million dollars (16.2 billion meticals) in the same period.
MRM, which is also 25% owned by Mwiriti Limitada (a Mozambican company), paid the state 53.2 million dollars (3.3 billion meticals) in royalties and taxes in 2023, according to the same report.
