Morganite is the peachy-pink variety of beryl with chemical formula Be3Al2(Si6O18). Named after American banker John. Pierpoint Morgan in 1911. It can be found colors such as pink, rose, peach, and salmon and pinkish Purple. Morganite’s colors are a result of the presence of manganese. It is also known as”Rose Beryl“. Good quality morganite is relatively […]
Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl coloured green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium with chemical formula Be3Al2(Si6O18). The majority of the world’s gem-quality emeralds come from the Muzo area of Colombia. The crystals are usually small with an average length of 2 – 5 cm and a width of 1 – 1.5 cm. Larger crystals are usually […]
Aquamarine is a sky-blue to sea-green gem variety of beryl. It is mainly associated with granitic pegmatites. The name Aquamarine comes from the Latin aqua Marinus, meaning “water of the sea,” and refers to its sparkling ocean-like color. Its bluish-green color is caused by iron oxides within the chemical makeup of the stone. The first […]
Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminum oxide with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, copper, or magnesium. Sapphire deposits are found in Eastern Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Madagascar, Greenland, East Africa, and in North America in mostly in Montana. Madagascar, Sri Lanka, […]
Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminum oxide with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, copper, or magnesium. Sapphire deposits are found in Eastern Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam, Madagascar, Greenland, East Africa, and in North America in mostly in Montana. Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Kashmir produce large quantities of fine […]
Beryl is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate with the chemical formula Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈. Beryl is hexagonal mineral with 7.5 – 8 hardness according to the more hardness scale. Beryl hexagonal Crystals can be up to several meters in the size. But, Double terminated crystals are very rare to see. Most people know Aquamarine and […]
Spinel is the magnesium–aluminum member of the larger spinel group of minerals with chemical formula MgAl₂O₄. Spinel is actually a large group of minerals. Gahnite, hercynite, ceylonite, picotite, and galaxite are all part of the spinel group. This oxide mineral is a Cubic crystal system with 7.5–8.0 hardness according to the Mohs hardness scale. Spinels […]
Mining on the island of Sri Lanka goes back at least 2000 years. We have our own heritage in the mining arena. Our island is called Gem Island & also “Ratna Dweepa” because of the large variety of gems found here. To visit Sri Lanka is to experience one of the great gem sources and […]
Geuda is a form of the mineral corundum. Geuda is found primarily in Sri Lanka. It’s a semitransparent and milky appearance due to rutile inclusions. Geuda is used to improve its color by heat treatment. Some geuda varieties turn to a blue color after heat treatments and some turn to red after oxidizing. Also, Kowangu pushparaga turns to yellow […]
Zircon is nesosilicates group mineral. Its corresponding chemical formula is ZrSiO4. The name derives from the Persian zargun, meaning “gold-hued”. Zircon is a popular gemstone that has been used for nearly 2000 years. The crystal structure of zircon is a tetragonal crystal system with 7.5 hardness according to the Mohs Hardness scale. Zircon is also very resistant to heat and […]
