"Vato Masina I": Sapphires rush near Bemainty, Madagascar (first part)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มี.ค. 2017
- In September 2016 a major sapphire rush took place near Bemainty village close to Ambatondrazaka in Madagascar. Blue and orange sapphires of exceptional quality and size were discovered in a forest covered area part of the CAZ, an area dedicated to conservation. The discovery soon attracted tens of thousands of miners from all around Madagascar. Field Gemologist Vincent Pardieu, an independent consultant with a passion for both gemology and conservation, visited the new deposit in Feb 2017 while the rush was already ongoing for 6 months. This short video is about that first field expedition.
Vincent Pardieu returned there in October 2017 for a second expedition to see how things changed. The following short video is about that second field expedition:
• "Vato Masina II": Retu...
For more info:
See the complete article about the area published in the Spring 2017 issue of InColor Magazine:
www.gemstone.org/incolor/Incol...
See also the complete study on that new material that we published as a pdf on GIA website:
Pardieu V., Vertriest W., Weeramonkhonlert V., Raynaud V., Atikarnsakul U., Perkins R. (2017) Sapphires from the gem rush Bemainty area, Ambatondrazaka (Madagascar).
www.gia.edu/gia-news-research...
See also Rosey Perking reports, after her expedition in Oct 2016:
Perkins R. (2016) Sapphire rush in the jungle east of Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar: an expedition report:
roseyperkins.com/visit-sapphi...
roseyperkins.com/sapphire-rus...
roseyperkins.com/sapphire-rus...
and watch the following video she published after her return:
• Video
See also our first report on GIA website:
Perkins R., Pardieu V. (2016) Gem News International: Sapphire rush near Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar. Gems & Gemology, 52(4), 429-430.
See at:
www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/win...
More info on the sapphires rush near Bemainty please check on GIA website:
Our first release:
www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2016-gemnews-sapphire-rush-near-ambatondrazaka-madagascar
and a full study on that new material is available here:
www.gia.edu/gia-news-research/sapphires-gem-rush-bemainty-ambatondrazaka-madagascar
and see also Rosey Perking reports, after her expedition in Oct 2016:
Perkins R. (2016) Sapphire rush in the jungle east of Ambatondrazaka, Madagascar: an expedition report:
roseyperkins.com/visit-sapphi...
roseyperkins.com/sapphire-rus...
roseyperkins.com/sapphire-rus...
and watch the following video she published after her return:
th-cam.com/video/K8z323aXulY/w-d-xo.html
I love sapphire! This is my one of my dream to visit Madgascar for sapphire!
Good work
Some other articles about the sapphire rush mainly based on Rosey Perkins visit in October 2016:
www.independent.co.uk/environment/a-sapphire-rush-has-sent-at-least-45000-miners-into-madagascar-s-protected-rainforests-a7431761.html
and
theconversation.com/a-sapphire-rush-has-sent-at-least-45-000-miners-into-madagascars-protected-rainforests-69164
Nice Video !!! ;)
Vincent: I have a question for you: Is there any sapphire in the history, with the quality shown in the thumbnail, that is absolutely not treated/enhanced???
Sure, there are many. The stones in the thumnail are unheated sapphires from Bemainty...
@@VincentPardieuFieldGemology That's so amazing! I have never seen anything like it in person. Thanks for letting me know they exit.
Nice videos, please show us some cut gems from the localities you visit!
Awesome
I hope to get a nice raw chunk like that clear and blue . Or a big ol raw star sapphire...
could a star sapphire be pink? How about green and purple dichroic material? Can that have chatoyancy , common sense says yes but that's not always correct. I love your work
Yes, indeed: Star sapphires can be pink. Actually corundum of all colors can be found as star stones when the right inclusions creating the star are present.
This sapphire rush in Madagascar is having unfortunate impacts on the remaining rich and unique biodiversity of the island. Of course the rush is also providing work for the poverty afflicted Malgasy people, so its a mixed bag what is happening.
nice geological fact, the valley was an ideal trap for large size sapphires ~ onward and upwards to source veins ?
Great Stuff :)
It's funny how the sellers always start out with a ridiculously high price. The guy with the small, rough potential star sapphire asks for $1000. The rough was maybe 2cts tops, and after cutting, it will probably be 1ct or less. So it's got to be faceted and polished yet. Then the buyer will have to make a profit for his efforts(long travel etc), then he sells it to a jeweler, who must make a profit. All those facts considered, not to mention the fact that nobody knows if it will end up with a good star or not, and I'd say that the miner should probably be paid about $100+ for it.
What does one sell for retail?
1000??? for 2ct rough. ridiculous. i sell many gemstones in my country for only sub 100$ , the buyer sell it again in ny for nice profit
Well these were asking prices... In Madagascar and particularly on mining sites, people often first ask for crazy prices. :-)
how about Srilankan Sapphires
Well, you will have to wait for me to return to Sri Lanka. In the meanwhile you can may be enjoy that video we did when I was working at GIA: th-cam.com/video/0cOO9YLqdvk/w-d-xo.html
Another interesting publication associated with this new deposit : myemail.constantcontact.com/SSEF-TRADE-ALERT--Kashmir-like--sapphires-from-Madagascar-entering-the-gem-trade-in-large-sizes-and-quantities--29-3-2017-.html?soid=1101798710063&aid=TfeIQXkiGYQ
Those folks make pennies