| Beautifully sparkling aquamarine has the color that | | | | mention the other invaluable and precious |
| resembles the ocean waters. From the name | | | | gemstones. The light bluish 'Gem of the |
| aqua it is commonly misunderstood to be | | | | Sea'-Aquamarine stone is one among them. |
| originating from the sea. No it is not. It is an | | | | Aquamarines are hosted in pegmatite, the veins |
| earthly gem found in rocks. | | | | present in metamorphic rocks. These veins are |
| Adorable aquamarine is commonly found in granite | | | | generally sheared and vary in thickness from 10m |
| and metamorphic rocks. It is obtained from | | | | to 40m. The center of the pegmatite is usually |
| nature by the process of mining. | | | | massive. So it has to be fractured and banded. By |
| Surface Mining by hand, the prevalent practice of | | | | the opencast mining method, the veins are |
| collecting gemstones from nature, is surface | | | | fractured using pneumatic tools. |
| mining using an open-pit. In South Africa, | | | | Some of the tools that are used in mining |
| aquamarine gem mining is achieved easily by using | | | | aquamarine gems are compressor, jack hammer, |
| just hands with no complex machinery involved. | | | | ladders, shovels etc. Bulldozers are also used to |
| To make the rocks those contain the aquamarine | | | | assist the process of mining the these gems. |
| roughs to split open, fires are set beside giant | | | | After the gemstones are freed from the rock |
| boulders. Blasting the rocks with dynamite is rarely | | | | they are cleaned and washed with water. |
| done. Once the rock, rich in minerals, is split open, | | | | Aquamarine Mining- Mining of aquamarine is truly |
| manpower is used to collect the invaluable gems. | | | | an environmental friendly process. It is devoid of |
| Using hammers, chisels, picks and axes | | | | usage of any toxic material like cyanide and |
| aquamarine is gathered as crystals breaking the | | | | mercury that are commonly used in gold and |
| rocks. | | | | silver mining. So, all hearts that wish a green |
| Aquamarine Mining-The Complete Process | | | | planet can wear aquamarine jewelry without the |
| Geological site investigation is the first step in the | | | | guilt of spoiling the mother nature`s purity. |
| process of gemstone mining. EIA-environmental | | | | Mining of this particular gem is a simple and |
| Impact Assessment is the next step. These two | | | | harmless process in which the metamorphic rocks |
| steps are first done in sequence on the mines | | | | that contain aquamarine are first split into pieces |
| that are believed to contain these gem stones. | | | | by inserting air/gas pressure into the rocks. |
| Using Geomorphology, a highly advanced technical | | | | Moreover, even after exhausting, the mines are |
| process, the land form is defined by gently | | | | not left barren. A 2m to 4m thick soil layer is |
| moving the surface and raising it above the sea | | | | placed over the filled and closed mine pits. So |
| level. This process diminishes the depth and | | | | grass and trees can always be grown on that |
| facilitates the mining process. | | | | surface and the area gets its natural look back. |
| The area thus identified above is rich in | | | | This precious bluish aquamarine gemstone is mined |
| Precambrian metamorphic rocks. These rocks | | | | incorporating a harmless and environmental |
| contain minerals-rich crystals such as quartz, | | | | friendly simple process. |
| garnet, mica, feldspar, biotite etc, And not to | | | | |