SOME gem mines at Mongshu in southern Shan State will reopen soon after being ordered to close for safety reasons following a landslide, a senior official from the Ministry of Mining said last week.

The managing director of the ministry’s Myanma Gems Enterprise, U Thein Swe, said the ministry had sent an expert team to assess the damage caused by the landslide on July 3 which resulted in fatalities at one of the mines.

The team would also advise on safety measures in the mines, which were often affected by landslides early in the wet season.

“The gem mines will resume their operations soon because the mine owners have to pay and feed their workers regardless of whether they are operating,” U Thein Swe said.

He said the ministry, local authorities, gem mine owners and Myanmar Red Cross Society volunteers had been involved in rescue and relief activities following the landslide.