10 unique gemstone finds

01

Anahí Ametrine Mine

37.8%

Bolivia, Santa Cruz Department

Gemstone: Ametrine – a unique variety of quartz, part yellow and part purple

In short: In a pristine area of Bolivia is a legendary mine, where gorgeous purple-yellow crystals are found. These beautiful stones – ametrines – cover the walls of several small caves in this area. The exact location of this mine was a secret until 1990, although the stone has been known by locals before the coming of Europeans.

02

Benitoite Gem Mine

36.8%

United States, California

Gemstone: Benitoite

In short: One of the most intensely colored blue gemstones – benitoite – is found only in one location. It was discovered in 1907 when a small cave that was completely covered with the crystals of benitoite was discovered. This is one of the most expensive gemstones, only some 10,000 carats (2 kg) have been produced thus far.

03

Blue garnets of Bekily

28.3%

Madagascar, Androy Region

Gemstone: Blue garnet – unique variety of pyrope-spessartine

In short: The first blue-colored garnets were discovered around 1997 near Bekily. These stones have an unusual color-change effect: in daylight they are blue but in incandescent lighting – reddish-purple. Occasional finds of blue garnets have been made in Kenya as well, but the site near Bekily is the only one where these stones can be found regularly.

04

Charoite find in Sireneviy Kamen

27.3%

Russia, Sakha Republic and Irkutsk Oblast

Gemstone: Charoite

In short: Charoite is the only non-transparent gemstone in this list, but it is included due to its rare lavender color and extreme rarity. Charoite was discovered in 1948 and is found only in one location.

05

Csarite mine in Ilbir Mountains

35.3%

Turkey, Muğla Province

Gemstone: Csarite™ – gem quality diaspore

In short: Diaspore is a common mineral but there is only one location in the world, where a beautiful gem-quality diaspore is found and mined. This is an abandoned bauxite mine in the mountains of Western Turkey. The stone is named csarite™ and zultanite®. This gemstone has a spectacular color-change effect: in daylight, it is light green to brownish but in incandescent light – carmine red.

06

Tranomaro grandidierite mine

28.3%

Madagascar, Anosy Region

Gemstone: Grandidierite

In short: Gem-quality grandidierite occasionally has been found in Sri Lanka and also in another location of Madagascar, but the only place where it has been found in larger amounts is Tranomaro mine. In total there have been produced some 60 grams (!) of grandidierite jewels – gorgeous blue-green stones. Their price is unknown because deals with these few stones are not disclosed.

07

Londonite from Antsongombato Gemstone Mine

36.8%

Madagascar, Vakinankaratra Region

Gemstone: Londonite

In short: Londonite was discovered in 1998 and gem-quality stones have been found only in one pegmatite dike near the abandoned Antsongombato village. This is a gorgeous yellow-to-colorless stone. Some 60 grams of londonite jewels have been produced.

08

Misen River ominelite find

35.0%

Japan, Kansai

Gemstone: Ominelite

In short: Ominelite was discovered in 1999. Thus far just a few beautiful, transparent grains in pale blue color have been found. Their size does not exceed 5 mm. The only location where these gems have been found is a beautiful, forested river valley at the world-famous Nara temples in Japan.

09

Red beryl from Ruby Violet claims

41.8%

United States, Utah

Gemstone: Red beryl

In short: Beryls come in diverse colors – the most famous are the beautiful green emeralds that are mined in many locations around the world. But red beryls are mined only in one location – Ruby Violet claims in Utah, although occasional stones have been found elsewhere in Utah, New Mexico, and also San Luis Potosi (Mexico). It is assessed that some 300 beryl jewels have been produced in total and these gems are multiple times more expensive than diamonds of similar size.

10

Tanzanite from Merelani Hills

43.3%

Tanzania, Manyara

Gemstone:Tanzanite

In short: Tanzanite – a variety of the fairly common zoisite – is found only in one location, in Merelani Hills, Tanzania, in 7 by 2 km large area. It was discovered in 1967. The mines have been quite rich and have provided many tons of these gorgeous blue stones. The blue color is acquired by heat – but this has happened also in nature, for example, due to forest fires. The stone changes its color from deep blue to purple and burgundy depending on the direction.