Mozambique: Fined for Illegal Mining

Maputo — Mozambique’s National Environmental Quality Control Agency (AQUA) has fined the mining company Ecogems 21 million meticais (about 328,600 US dollars, at the current exchange rate) for operating a gold mine without the required environmental license in Lalaua district, in the northern province of Nampula.

AQUA’s decision follows complaints made public by Silvério João, the Lalaua district administrator, claiming that Ecogems arrived in Lalaua and started mining gold without possessing…