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Showing posts with the label Mozambique ruby

Fight illegal mining!

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Mozambique: Mining Company blames Authorities for allowing illegal ruby trade The concession holder of the mining site where 11 people died recently, in the north of Mozambique, has accused the authorities of inaction and complicity with the illegal trading of rubies. “These tragical casualties were caused by some foreign buyers who manage to do business illegally, in the light of day, in cities like Montepuez, without any inspection or sanction from authorities”, the Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM) the press release, signed by the manager for Corporate Affairs Raime Raimundo Pachinuapa, stated. The buyers “enter and leave the country, in particular through Pemba International Airport, frequently without the required documents, by bribing officials”. “We need to fight this illegal activity as a country”, Raime Raimundo stressed, calling upon authorities to “enforce the law and stop the illegal trade of rubies”. A non-authorised mining site inside the MRM perimeter colla

New research on Ruby by SSEF

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Studies methods of detecting low-temperature heated rubies from Mozambique Since their discovery in early 2009, the ruby deposits near Montepuez in Mozambique have produced an impressive number of exceptional-quality stones, including iconic gems such as the Rhino Ruby (22.04 cts), the Scarlet Drop (15.95 cts) and the Eyes of the Dragon (a pair of rubies pair weighing 11.23 cts and 10.70 cts), all of which were analysed by the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF. But from the very beginning, there has been evidence in the market of lower-quality rubies from Mozambique that have been heated with or without a flux (borax), resulting in healed fissures with residue, and in some cases heavily-fractured material that has been lead-glass filled. In more recent years, an increasing number of fine quality rubies from Mozambique have come onto the market, after having undergone so-called "low-temperature heating" (below 1000 °C). Presumably, the aim of this treatment