Ruby Mining: Illegal Miners Try their Fortunes in Mozambique

Mozambicans scout for survival in the Mozambique Ruby Rush

In northern Mozambique, informal - and illegal - ruby mining is a tough business that has attracted thousands of itinerant workers despite strenuous crackdowns by police and private guards.

The ruby deposits, which were discovered only nine years ago, are relatively accessible in shallow ground, triggering the sudden birth of a frantic wildcat mining industry.

Mozambique now accounts for 80% of global ruby production - but the illegal mining is a far cry from the giant mining companies and the chic auction houses in Singapore where millions of dollars of gems are sold.