Mother Nature has gifted Sri Lanka with many types of natural resources and among them gem stones are quite significant. Sri Lanka is gifted with a variety of gem stones. Despite the smaller size of the country, it is surprising to have around seventy gem varieties compared to countries with huge land masses.
Sri Lanka’s city of Gems, Ratnapura, is the world’s richest treasure house of gems is a picturesque town attracting tourists from all around the world is also one of the most prominent gem mining destination in Sri Lanka. Rare sparkling precious and semi-precious stones are found in the rich soil that covers the entire district.
The fame of this small city in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka is as old as history and many are the legends that surround the glittering city of gems.
Variety of gemstones found in Ratnapura district
Ratnapura district has produced an incredible variety of gemstones, many of them outstanding in comparison with stones from other regions. Sapphire occurs in all hues of blue, as well as yellow, violet, green, pink, and the remarkable pinkish-orange “padparadsha.”
Other gemstones include topaz in bright yellow with a reddish tinge; brownish yellow to cinnamoncoloured grossularite; orange-yellow spessartine; blood-red pyrope; red to brownish red almandine; the world’s finest zircon in a broad spectrum including brown, yellow, orange, green, and colourless (known locally as ‘Matara diamond’—a misnomer); green, yellow, and brown tourmaline; yellow, green, and brown chrysoberyl; yellow chrysoberyl cat’s-eye; the unique white translucent variety of microcline with a blue sheen known as moonstone; and great quantities of spinel in brown, green, blue, purple, violet, yellow, pink, and red. Unusual and rare stones from the same area include sillimanite, andalusite, scapolite, enstatite, kornerupine and diopside.
The mining operation for gems
The mining operation for gems has been virtually the same since the days of the Alexander the Great or perhaps the Pharaohs times except for the modern addition of the water pumps for dewatering of the pits. The supports for the excavations are still mostly the logs. Labor is provided as a share to the earnings as well as the equipment; materials as well as the daily expenses such as food too are contributed as a share.
Gemstone Faceting and Polishing
Sri Lanka is considered the fastest developing gemstone cutting and finishing center in the world, producing stones as small as 1/3 of a millimeter with zero or very low tolerance according to technical drawings supplied by the customers.
It is estimated that there are around 20,000 cutters in Sri Lanka of which about 5000 are employed in the diamond cutting factories. They process both precious and semi- precious gemstones in free sizes and calibrated sizes.
The reputation of the Sri Lanka lapidary and the low cost of labour during the last three decades have increased the demand for service cutting of calibrated stones.
Sri Lanka Gem Mine & Buying Tours
Gem Net is an independent tour operator in Sri Lanka, organize tailor-made Private Gem Mine & Buying Tours to individuals, couples, families, friends and small private groups offering a wide spectrum of services all meant to make guest feel much cared, home comforted.
Sri Lanka Gem Buying Guide 