French farmer sued for mining sapphires by neighbors
In a small town called Issoire in France’s Auvergne region, a couple has taken their neighbor to court for allegedly mining sapphires in a local stream that runs through their land.
The plaintiffs, hailing from the volcanic region of central France, argue that the farmer who lives on the opposite bank has been encroaching upon their property and mining precious gemstones without permission.
They demand compensation of no less than one million euros ($1.1 million) to settle the matter. The subsoil in central France’s volcanic territory is renowned for its rich concentration of gems.
The farmer in question, along with a partner, has been actively involved in mining precious stones near Issoire. However, the couple claims that their neighbor has also been prospecting for sapphires on their side of the river, which flows through their land.
French farmer sued for mining sapphires by neighbors
The case came to light around a year ago when the plaintiffs noticed frequent use of a path alongside their property. Intrigued and suspicious, they began their own investigation, finally recognizing the stream at the bottom of their land from a television report on sapphire mining in Auvergne. It became apparent that the prospectors had regularly accessed and worked the deposits in the river.
Their lawyer, Patrick Roesch, expressed their demand for substantial compensation. “My clients firmly believe that the prospectors have found valuable and sizable sapphires, and they want to be reimbursed accordingly,” Roesch stated prior to the hearing.
The legal battle hinges on the fact that the river in question does not belong to the state. In accordance with French law, if two banks belong to different owners, each owner possesses rights to half of the riverbed.
Since the stream runs through both properties, the couple alleges that their neighbor has infringed upon their rights by mining on their portion of the riverbed.
Representatives for the prospectors declined to comment when approached, leaving the situation uncertain as the lawsuit proceeds.
The outcome of this peculiar case will have implications beyond the boundaries of this small town, setting a precedent for how property rights and mining claims are decided in cases where natural resources cross property lines.
