Dear all,
I'm happy to invite you to discover the most recent field video on my new YouTube Channel: In this short video you will discover what we saw on our recent visit to the Montepuez ruby producing area in Northern Mozambique. That field expedition main objective was to collect reference samples for the "Bahrain Institute for Pearls & gemstones (DANAT)". During that expedition that took place in June and July 2018, we visited the MRM (Montepuez ruby mining) area where we were able to continue witnessing and documenting the ruby mining activity. We could see some interesting changes at the wash plant as a new sorting house is under construction. But on that visit what interested us particularly was how Gemfields is already rehabilitating some of their mining pits backfilling them and planting back local trees as they are mining.
So on that new video about ruby mining in Mozambique, we decided to put this time the focus on that side and show also the support Gemfields is giving to a fascinating conservation program in the neighboring Niassa National Reserve (where mining is illegal): The "Niassa Lion Project" as gemfields has decided to launch their "conservation stone" program.
I do believe that it is great to see a mining company promoting and supporting financially a conservation program as part of their CSR (Corporate Social responsibility) program. If the gems from the mineral world could do more to support the gems from the living world (that are protected areas) it would help to protect these beautiful areas that need our support. It could also improve the image of the gemstone industry and for sure provide a better feeling to people buying gems from Africa. I just hope that more people and companies will do that.
Many thanks for this video to all the people we met in Mozambique for their welcome and support and more particularly to people at MRM and at the Niassa Lion Project.
Enjoy!
