Gemstones from Africa

The traditional sources for colored gemstones are usually found in South America and in Asia most especially in Brazil, Burma, and Sri Lanka. Nowadays, Africa is producing most of the enthusiasm around gemstones in the world.

While most people will know that Africa is the major source of diamonds, the colored gemstone trade is gradually becoming more significant. Although manufacturing colored gemstone is extend across many small mines in several countries. The main producing African countries can be found in the southern and eastern region.

These countries stretch from Namibia in the southwest up to Ethiopia and to Madagascar which is the largest island along the shoreline of Mozambique. They all lie on the same gemstone-rich region referred to as the Neoproterozoic Mozambique Belt.

Gemstones From Africa

Ruby

Tanzanite

Tourmaline

Tsavorite Garnet

Sapphire

Spessartite Garnet

Umbalite Garnet

Mali Garnet

Colored stones coming from the African mines are constantly changing with ew gems begin discovered every other week. Buyers have been educated to “purchase it while you can” since the stones are plentiful but they may not be in the next year. This is what happened with the fine Spessartite Garnet, which came from Namibia.

While there is still a supply of stones from Namibia, it is not easy to get, and most of the Spessartite Garnet now originates from Mozambique. The most significant countries that recently produced these stones are Madagascar, Tanzania, and Mozambique. However, Madagascar is well-known for their latest discoveries of Sapphire and Ruby.

As well as the stone above, other gemstones that have been found include:

• Apatite

• Andalusite

• Iolite

• Citrine

• Chrysoberyl

• Kyanite

Mozambique

Mozambique has also become one of the famous producers of Paraiba Tourmaline, and most of the global supply of Paraiba is now originating from Mozambique.

Perhaps the most important mining operation in Mozambique at the moment would be the Gemfields Mozambique Ruby mines. These Rubies are being mined and sold directly the market via an auction. While Burmese Rubies are considered the best in the world, there is a trade embargo against them entering the USA. This has drastically limited supply of natural Ruby into the country. Mozambique Rubies will fill that gap by producing very fine Red rubies fr the American market.

Paraiba Tourmaline Gemstones

Nigeria

Since the supply of gemstones from Brazil is quite restricted, Nigeria was considered as the largest supplier among the West African nations. This is significant as it is not in the Mozambique Belt.

Nigeria is highly-regarded for it’d blue sapphire as well as large quantities of fine tourmaline. Nigeria is also well-known for Sapphire, AlmandineGarnet, Aquamarine, and Topaz.

Tanzania

Meanwhile, Tanzania is a massive source of jewels. The industry already employs more than a 500 million in small-scale mining. Tanzania is particularly well-known for Tanzanite.This year Tanzanian Spinels from Mahenge have been in the spotlight. The colors of these Spinels can rival the most beautiful Ruby and have been steadily increasing in popularity. Other gemstones from Tanzania include the stunning Rhodolite Garnet, Tsavorite Garnet, and several exclusive stones such as unheated zircon. Mozambique is also generating excellent tourmaline in various colors.

The supply from these mines is quite limited. In the middle of the 1960s there were remarkable discoveries in Tanzania, most especially for Aquamarine, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. The most significant of these discoveries were the two latest gemstones. they are called Tanzanite and Tsavorite Garnet.

Tsavorite Garnet

Rhodolite Garnet

Mozambique Metamorphic Belt

The minerals mineral diversity is the most significant portion of the Mozambique Metamorphic Belt, which is a huge continent-scale region more than 600 million years old. It is considered a metamorphic region stretching from Madagascar into northern Kenya. During the early 1970s geologists pursued gemstones along the Kenya-Tanzania boundary.

This lead to a new ruby discovery as well as a remarkable Tsavorite discovery along southeaster Kenya. Nowadays, East Africa is considered the main gemstone-producing region. East Africa has the potential to turn out to be the world’s main expensive stones resources.

Tanzanite

Tanzanite is considered as one of the world’s rarest stones as stunning and exclusive. Tanzanite’s exclusive place in the gem kingdom with only one supply in the world it is allocated out, but still, Tanzanite will be the typical heirloom as well as, into the next generation.

In the near future, the only manner to own it will be to take over it. One of the most excellent top secrets to keep the Tanzanite trade is the extremely rare amount of Tanzanite that is intermittently discovered. Some individuals have heard about the green Tanzanite, but the wonders of yellows and oranges are not yet known to most people.

Their shortage and the fact, that they are so not often found have prepared them the maintenance of the collectors. Some of the Tanzanite enthusiasts who are well-informed are proud to be capable to present a delectable collection of these formerly unattainable, remarkably unusual stones.

Tanzanite is an amazing stone as it occurs in only one place globally. Its blue, enclosed with a hint of lavender is a magnificent color. Thanks to its remarkable quality that significantly helps the jeweler’s of New York as it has quickly become one of the most popular stones all over the world.

It was named after the East African state of Tanzania, the only place around the world where it has been originated. Africa is the only continent that gives the world a huge number of truly outstanding stones such as tanzanite. On its discovery in 1967, it was passionately distinguished by the specialists as the “Stone of the 20th Century”.

The excitement is always there as they caught the first deep-blue minerals, which had been found along the Merelani Hills in the northern Tanzania. About millions of years ago, these valuable crystals were cultivated in deposit within the unusual elevations, as well.

In fact, for a long time, they were concealed from the eye of the man, until it came to the point that some Masai shepherds observed that some dazzling crystals recline in the sun and acquire along with them. In Merelani nowadays, the search is conceded on for the desirable crystals with some small mines found in some cases using recent methods.

As a rule, only tiny grains are discovered, but some of the mine-workers did well in catching out this large, precious stone. The tanzanite deal is in the hands of several certified merchants, typically on a small-scale, who have built-up established some trusting business relationships with stone companies located in Israel, India, and USA.

As estimated, there are 90% of tanzanite merchants who are certified members of ICA (International Colored Gemstone Association), which is encloses with high-ethical standards of that business. In such way, this special gemstone is not the main topic to deal with doubtful channels, but instead, trade routes are well-established with subsequently major jewelers all over the world.

Tsavorite Garnet

Tsavorite is considered as one of the world’s unusual stones with only one significant source yet discovered, especially here in East Africa. Physically, it has better-quality compare with the Emerald on all aspects as being tough, brighter, and in a pure green tone. This stone has top grade, profound, intense, colorful, and with high-clarity.

Tsavorite is both found both in Tanzania and Kenya, but in fact the consensus, which was completed by among gemologists and gem sellers. This stone is quite comparable also with Emerald, as well. This stone is vivid, tough, and thus more hard-wearing. It is also unusual as these stones cut over 3 cts, which are truly exceptional.

These attributes make this stone a highly-regarded and precious stone. Tsavorite is a particularly ancient jewel. The snowy, capped of Mt. Kilimanjaro is considered as the utmost mountain found in Africa. What could be more idealistic than an excellent, flashing, green-stone?

In fact, the spotless green Tsavorite is a young stone with an extensive geological history. Its origin can be found at the East-African along the boundary of Tanzania and Kenya. A small number of mines lie in an exclusively, attractive landscape of dry, plain with bare, hills.

Also, it is a hazardous country, the territory of snakes, and presently with a lion patrols. In fact, from there, near the prominent Tsavo National Park, a memorable history really began. So, what it makes as a stone and enviable? Well, for such thing. it is also a glowing, bright, green stones.

The color vary of the Tsavorite encloses with a spring like light-green, a strong blue and a deep-forest green tones, which have an energizing and revitalizing effect. Also, this stone is also valuable, specifically on its great intensity. Compare with any other stones, it has a predominantly high-refractive index as 1.734/44.

Not without any reason that based on some old myths that a garnet was complicated thing to conceal. Its luminous light was believed to stay noticeable even through clothing. Unlike several other stones, Tsavorite is either blistered or greasy. This stone does not need any treatment.

Like all the other Tsavorite is also simply a piece of clean, untouched nature. An additional optimistic characteristic is its toughness. It is considered as solid as significantly more exclusive stone, roughly 7.5 based on the Moh’s scale, but it is distinctly less susceptible.

That is a significant characteristic not only, especially when it comes to the gemstone’s being established. It is not so liable to break as an outcome of an impulsive movement. It is also a well-suited because of its fashionable, imperceptible setting, in which the gemstones are set closely by one another.

Thanks to its great intensity, is in this respect, which is a perfect match with other stones such as sapphire, diamond, and ruby. For such rare cases, a cut Tsavorite with more than 2 carats is an extraordinary and valuable thing. Then, one of the particular attributes of this stone that it can present its great radiance even in small dimensions.

There’s incredible thing about this stone is that it’s very extensive history. With its bright, stunning green, it’s good wearing attributes, great intensity, and comparatively with reasonable costs, it is definitely one of the most compelling and honest stones that may exist, as well.

Rhodolite Garnet

Rhodolite Garnet is the leading garnet in the red garnet family. It should not be confused with the ever-present Pyrope dark-red garnet, which is typically connected with estate jewelry. Also, this beautiful plum, cherry-red garnet is an attractive gemstone. It is usually found in an amount of minerals all over the world, the well-known Umba River Valley located in Tanzania is the much-admired source of the world’s finest Rhodolite.

Rhodolite is the term utilized to illustrate the beautiful pink, purple or red-purple garnet which is a combination of Pyrope and Almandite. This fashionable stone shows a magnificent, smooth red with an admirable lavender or raspberry tinted stone. This name was primarily used in the late 19th century in order to explain the innovative rhododendron color of garnet, which was discovered in North Carolina.

Unlike the usual red garnets, likely have a profound red with a brown color, and it is quite lighter and have intense in color, as well. The most excellent specimens are considered as a rich raspberry that can sometimes be similar to the more costly rubellite tourmaline. Most of these stones have a crystalline composition. Crystals have plane of evenness and are separated into seven different symmetry schemes.

Their extent and angle can verify the system to which a gemstone belongs. Garnets are compositional, which means that they allocate the same crystal formation. This makes the crystal more in perfect forms and properties. Garnets are also belonging to the isometric crystal category, which generates cube-based symmetrical crystals. The most ordinary crystal nature for garnets is the rhombic dodecahedron, which is in a twelve sided form.

Most garnets are available in red tone, leading to the mistaken idea that these stone are all red. In fact, some diversity such as grossularite can have a broad range of tones, and Uvarovite is always in a bright-green. As a crystal specimen, these stones have usually in well-formed, and with their entire tone and gleam makes them a striking addition to into your whole collection.

Malaia Garnet

Malaia Garnet is a stone though not several individuals have heard all about it. It has remained the maintenance of some collectors for two decades since it was revealed, mostly with its severe rarity. Across between the Pyrope and Spessartite garnet, this dazzling stone display an interesting variety of colors from a blistered orange into a desirable orange-pink with the unusual pieces.

Tanzania is the only well-known resource for this beautiful stone and these stones always present some of the most excellent, excellent pieces of stone. Malaya or Malaia garnet is a gemological variety name for radiant into dark-pink, orange, red-orange, and yellow- orange garnet, which is a combination of spessartite and pyrope. It is usually found in Umba Valley, East Africa, nearby Kenya and Tanzania.

Malaia was primarily believed to be a kind of spessartite garnet, as well. In 1970’s, rough Malaia garnets were being combined with distinctive parcels of Rhodolite garnet. These unusual, colored gemstones were discarded, and the term given to this sort of garnet wasMalaia, which means “Swahili” that literally meansoutcast. It originated into treatment for amount of garnets that did not go well into any of the typical types.

Most of these imperial Malaia garnets enclose with microscopic needle-like inclusion that do not detract from the general magnificence of this material. Some of these stones also display a color-shift outcome from glowing to radiant light. Color modification garnets are typically spessartite and pyrope in structure. Except for the color modification, they are distinguishable in properties to the Malaia range. Their main source is in Africa.

Fancy Sapphires

Sapphires are usually mined in East Africa in 1950’s, as they come in a glowing range of colors. There are 67 various colors of fancy sapphire. In fact, the Umba river valley located in Tanzania generates most of these tones such as an attractive canary-yellow sapphire and an African Padparadscha, an orange pink, highly-prized, and rare stone.

In 1974, mining of fancy sapphires in the northern frontier district of Kenya, as it is often as being identical with the blue tone. However, sapphire is stunning beyond blue, in each color, but red as being the sphere of the ruby. The other hues of sapphire are striking and unusual, or quite even rarer, and they are usually obtainable in reasonable prices.

Yellow, red, violet, and other light tones are especially affordable. It is not realizing that sapphire and ruby was actually the similar mineral, as most of the ancestors left them with a dilemma as long time ago, it was determined that all stones of the mineral corundum must be distinguished as sapphire, except for the red tone, known as ruby.

In fact, the pink one is in light-red. Thus, the IGCA( International Colored Gemstone Association has conceded a decree that the radiant tones of red must be included in the type ruby, since it is too complicated to identify where red ended and pink started. In tradition, pink colors are usually well-known neither as pink sapphire or ruby.

Either way, these stones are considered as the most stunning among the corundum family. The most precious fancy sapphire is available in a pink-orange-pink diversity known as “Padparadscha”. These kinds of sapphires are quite rare, and the literal definition has always been a topic of debate.

Different sellers and laboratories all over the world deviate on the precise color indicated by such term. Some dealers even dispute that the phrase must not be restricted with some lighter shades of Sri Lankan sapphires, but also involve the more blistering colors of red-orange found in Umba Valley Tanzania.

Padparadscha sapphires trade usually in a premium price nearing those acquired for an excellent, blue-sapphires. Though the exact depictions of these unusual gemstones are controversial, their loveliness, with its flimsy, blended colors of fresh salmon and sunsets, are still there, as well.

Other well-known tones of fancy sapphires are available on yellows, light-orange, purples, and blue-green tones. In general, the clearer and more glowing the tones are, the more precious the fancy sapphires are. If the shade is in the light range, thus the lucidity is quite good.

With the pastel color inclusions are more noticeable; the deal typically prefers the stones to be cleaned with few noticeable inclusions. With a light-colored stone, the cut is also quite significant so, it must be replicated back consistently across the surface of the gemstones, which makes them dynamic and sparkling, as well.

In addition to, with some dark and more vivid tones, the cut is not as significant because the shade produces its own force. No matter what the tones are, sapphires mixed up their toughness and exquisiteness for generations of satisfaction.

Tourmaline

Tourmalines are usually found in several places all over the world such as Sri Lanka, Brazil, and in Africa, which considered as the top producers. Though there are ample of gemstone minerals, which consist of tourmalines, best qualities, and excellent colors are not typically discovered among them.

The cost of the tourmaline is approximately as extensive as it is. Also, African Tourmalines originated from Kenya, Tanzania, Congo, and Mozambique is the most wanted after, especially for the fine qualities, as well. One of the most multi-purpose gemstones, tourmaline is obtainable in every shade, from neutral to black.

You can discover every nature from light to dark, and even with one or more tones occurring in the same gemstone. It actually an amazing and mesmerizing gemstone! It is also known over the centuries, tourmaline was obtained its popularity when the Dutch started to trade in this stone during 17th century in Sri Lanka.

They term “Sinhalese”,which is assumed that this stone enclosed with colorful colors. Tourmaline is essentially the name of an associated mineral species. In gemological tradition, individual species terms are not typically in used. Instead, this stone is specifically known as “tourmaline”.

Tourmaline usually originated from Australia, Brazil, Madagascar, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Russia, USA, and other countries. Like other gemstones, when the weights of the carat of a tourmaline enhances. Still, huge tourmaline minerals are basically more abundant than smaller gemstones such assapphire and ruby.

This means that weight-associated price jumps in tourmaline are less relentless than in sapphire and ruby. It is regularly for similarly enclosed with quality such as 3, 4 Carat tourmalines to all have comparable prices for every carat. You will not perceive these sapphires and in rubies and sapphires. Different varieties of tourmaline are liable to have unusual clarities.

Thus, while huge, clean tourmalines in blue-green and blue tones are obtainable, almost all in pink and red tourmalines will illustrate eye-visible inclusions. The most ordinary inclusions in tourmaline are ruptured as well as, liquid-filled healed fissured. Needle inclusions are also ordinary.

Tourmaline cuts are also wide-ranging due to its hue. With tourmaline’s tough pleochroism, shady tourmalines are cut to illustrate the lighter of the two pleochroic tones. Gems cut with such orientation are regularly with rectangles and emerald cuts because of the extended nature of tourmaline minerals.

Tourmalines with light colors are naturally oriented with the table facet, which is perpendicularly to the c-axis to present the richest tone possible. So, they are often incised as ovals, rounds, and triangles. A quick look at the tourmaline suite display such as this, and faceted stones, cabochon-cut tourmalines are often perceived on the market.