These photo's were given to me and show where they are mining the Dematoid Garnet on the west coast. They actually live on the mud flats as that is the only way they can protect their little patch of ground. The Malagasy Gemmologist I work with has contacted a friend in the area and has the precise details of how to get there, so he's coming with us. His friend has told him they are now digging shafts down through the mud to get to the seams, but it requires a team to have a pump and generator to empty the shaft every day before they can dig and keep it relatively dry whilst they are digging. This should be an interesting trip. More photo's to come!
Day started well but was over by lunch time. Picked up some Iolite, Spessitite and Rhodolite garnets all in big pieces most over 2 grams.
After lunch we decided to go for a drive to one of the tourmaline mines I know about, but it had been abandoned. The locals told me that someone occasionally works it and it’s still producing but no buyers! That’s funny as all the stones this area is known for, are in very short supply. I haven’t seen any decent beryl or tourmaline as yet.
Antsirabi is in the middle of mountain ranges which produce lots of the gemstones found in Pegmatites. You can see diggings from the main road as you drive along and they are a fraction of the mines in the area. “Veryyy Cheap Price” is going to guide me to some working mines tomorrow morning, rose quartz, morganite and aquamarine.
Day finishes with a gentleman showing up with a small parcel of dematoid garnets. I have bought half a dozen all around 4-5cts and very clean, not cheap but with Namibian dematoid of this size and colour over $50us a carat, I think a good buy. I have been hearing about this find as we travel but no one up to now has been able to give me a location. This guy has pictures and points out the location, bugger, about 15km from where I was under house arrest in Ambanja, a day’s drive north of the capital.
These dematoids are found in the mangroves and mud flats on the coast. They walk in the mud and mangroves and when they feel rock, pick it up. Most stones are still attached to the matrix and are broken off. These are nice crystals and parts of crystals that show little wear. He has given me some great pictures he took on the last trip he did and if I ever get a good connection I load some up. I am now seriously considering heading north again as I also missed connecting with a dealer in Ambanja who deals in sapphire as he was in the bush at the mines.
After lunch we decided to go for a drive to one of the tourmaline mines I know about, but it had been abandoned. The locals told me that someone occasionally works it and it’s still producing but no buyers! That’s funny as all the stones this area is known for, are in very short supply. I haven’t seen any decent beryl or tourmaline as yet.
Antsirabi is in the middle of mountain ranges which produce lots of the gemstones found in Pegmatites. You can see diggings from the main road as you drive along and they are a fraction of the mines in the area. “Veryyy Cheap Price” is going to guide me to some working mines tomorrow morning, rose quartz, morganite and aquamarine.
Day finishes with a gentleman showing up with a small parcel of dematoid garnets. I have bought half a dozen all around 4-5cts and very clean, not cheap but with Namibian dematoid of this size and colour over $50us a carat, I think a good buy. I have been hearing about this find as we travel but no one up to now has been able to give me a location. This guy has pictures and points out the location, bugger, about 15km from where I was under house arrest in Ambanja, a day’s drive north of the capital.
These dematoids are found in the mangroves and mud flats on the coast. They walk in the mud and mangroves and when they feel rock, pick it up. Most stones are still attached to the matrix and are broken off. These are nice crystals and parts of crystals that show little wear. He has given me some great pictures he took on the last trip he did and if I ever get a good connection I load some up. I am now seriously considering heading north again as I also missed connecting with a dealer in Ambanja who deals in sapphire as he was in the bush at the mines.
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