What You Need to Know
Mozambique’s ruby production increased by 29% in 2025, reaching 5.097 million carats, according to the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy. This growth reflects strong performance from mining companies and rising international demand. The government anticipates revising its 2026 ruby production forecast upward due to this success, despite challenges from illegal mining activities.
Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique’s ruby production surged by 29% in 2025, surpassing five million carats, according to official budget execution data from the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME).
MIREME data shows ruby output rose last year to 5.097 million carats, up from 4.143 million carats in 2024, which itself had grown from 3.946 million carats in 2023.
“Regarding ruby, the most significant gemstone in the group, there was exponential growth in production, with a 123% achievement rate and a 29% increase compared with 2024, reflecting the strong performance of mining companies and rising international demand,” the document states.
The 2025 performance is expected to prompt an upward revision of the government’s 2026 ruby production forecast from 3% growth to over four million carats, given that last year’s target was already exceeded.
In this year’s budget projections, the government expects total production of 4,062,546 carats.
“This forecast is linked to the suspension of production activities by the country’s third-largest ruby producer,” the Ministry of Finance’s budget forecast document notes.
About 70% of the production is currently exported, a figure the government aims to raise to 79% by 2029.
Ruby export revenues fell 30% in the first quarter of 2025 to US$5.1 million (€4.4 million), according to previous data from the Bank of Mozambique, compared with US$7.2 million (€6.2 million) from January to March 2024.
Despite the production increase in 2025, Montepuez Ruby Mining (MRM), Mozambique’s largest ruby miner, asked authorities in January for “more proactive measures” against those “financing, facilitating, and encouraging illegal ruby trade” following a deadly incident involving miners trespassing on its concession in Cabo Delgado province.
Gemfields, which manages MRM, had already announced on 7 October that it postponed the auction of rubies from the Montepuez mine to 2026, citing the impact of daily “sabotage” by hundreds of illegal miners at the new facility under construction in the area.
At the time, the company said it had “decided to delay the usual November/December ruby auction to January/February” due to “previously announced delays in the full operational start of the second processing plant” at MRM, worsened by illegal mining activity.
MRM explained that “although full operationalisation is still scheduled for October, the new plant’s functioning was significantly affected in the last week [late September, early October] by illegal miners, currently numbering between 250 and 400 per day, sabotaging the plant’s supply infrastructure.”
Mozambique has become a significant player in the global ruby market, particularly with the discovery of rich ruby deposits in the Cabo Delgado province. The country’s ruby mining sector has seen substantial investment and growth over the past decade, attracting international companies and increasing export revenues. However, illegal mining and trade have posed serious challenges, impacting both production and revenue streams for legitimate operations. The government has been working to address these issues while promoting sustainable mining practices.
