Sri lanka is famed among the gem enthusiasts of the world as one of the meccas of gemology. the island continues to stay true to the meaning of this name with its bountiful troves of precious stones dotted all across the island. the city of Rathnapura stands as the crowned glory in Sri lankan gemology, with an abundance of mines producing an array of precious stones throughout the year.
Sri Lanka’s history of gems is an epic of colour that can be dated back to a millennia of vibrant stories, where the precious stones unearthed has been a vital element in both local and foreign political relationships and the grand gesture in countless romantic sagas. From the famous fable of King Solomon finding the perfect Ruby in Sri Lankan soil to gift Queen of Sheba, to the Catherine II of Russia adorning her crown with Sapphires from Sri Lanka, and the most famed jewel of all time – the Great Blue Sapphire – nestled in the engagement ring worn by both Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, Sri Lanka has made its mark on the world as an “Island of Gems” enriched with vibrant shades unlike any other.
Geographically, Sri Lanka stands as a prime locality for gem mining. With its tropical environment and natural minerals present in the soil, it serves as an ideal setting for precious rock formation. The island itself could be dated back to the Precambrian Age of 560-2,400 million years ago, which has caused the rock formations to mainly form sedimentary residual gem deposits. The oldest formations of Sri Lanka rests in the Highland areas of rathnapura, Kandy, Matale and Eppawala. The other most significantly rich area of gem mining is in the Southwest region,consisting the mining areas Matara, Meetiyagoda and Galle. Although most rock formations around the island is laced with materials that makes up a gemstone, these areas are concentrated for successful mining opportunities presenting with pebbles that are later cut and smoothed to perfect gemstones. The most famous Sri Lankan gem stone, the Sapphire, is amply found in the rathnapura- Kolonna area where as the Galle, Meetiyagoda mines produce a significant number of Moonstone and Garnet.
This story is from the January - February 2018 edition of Food & Health.
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This story is from the January - February 2018 edition of Food & Health.
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