Tanzania/Democratic Republic of Congo/Zambia
Tanzanite is only found in Tanzania, at the Mererani Hills of the Manyara Region in the north of the country. Tanzanite is mined from a single source in an area that is 2km wide and 4 km long and divided into 4 blocks (A, B, C and D) near Mount Kilimanjaro. Block C is the largest area operated by TanzaniteOne Mining. Medium scale mining is undertaken by Kilimanjaro Mining in Block A and Tanzanite Africa in Block D-extension. Blocks B and D are mined largely by thousands of artisanal miners who use non mechanized methods. The total production of tanzanite rose by 17% during 2008–2013, from 768t to 900t, while discovered reserves amount to 500m carats.
Tanzanite is known for its mesmerising blue colour and its ability to brighten up any outfit, day or night. Even though the gemstone continues to gain popularity the origins of the true African gemstone remains to be rare and limited. Tanzanite can only be found in certain areas of the world; the gemstone is generally found near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
With an established direct-to-mine relationship, Tanzanite International sources top quality certified tanzanite directly from the Maasai tribe. By doing this, Tanzanite International is contributing to the tribe’s sustainability and social and economic upliftment. The process also offer Tanzanite International a unique opportunity to select the latest tanzanite mined.
How tanzanite mining takes place
Tanzanite mining takes time and involves a complex process. Here’s how Tanzanite is mined:
Tanzanite is recovered from pegmatite veins that have become so stressed and broken down into tiny and smaller pieces called boudins. These gems are found within small pockets inside the boudins. The goal of Tanzanite mining is to find these small pockets. Not every pocket will contain the gem, some might contain minerals such as fools gold, pyrite, and quartz.
Originally, the gemstone was collected on the surface but the continuous and vigorous Tanzanite mining quickly gave way to pits and now tunnels which are about 1000 meters beneath the surface. During the mining process, the rocks are broken into medium or small chunks using explosives such as dynamite.
Loud sounds and ground vibrations are felt from the mining site once the explosives are set off. A big boom is heard then felt even from far distances. Once this process is done, Oxygen pipes are usually put into the mines to let in the fresh air. These pipes remove the CO2 and bring in O2. The next process involves sorting the gemstone from the raw stones.
Sorting of the gemstone from the other materials can be a daunting task. Tanzanite can be sorted both manually and by using an automated optical-sorting and primary grading system. When sorting the rough tanzanite, several steps are involved before one can achieve a gem worth selling.
The first step involves picking the gems from their shaft. Once that is achieved, the gems are taken to the sorting house where they are cleaned and weighed. The non-Gem materials are then removed from the gems, after which the gems are cobbled and graded into various groups.
Good quality gems are processed more for color, clarity and carat grading. Once the gems have been graded and sized, they are packed and ready to be sold.
The spare Tanzanite materials are taken back to laboratories by companies. These materials are tested to see if they can be heated to become high-quality gemstones. There are also some minerals that might be found with the Tanzanite stone. Here at Tanzanite Experience, we keep these minerals on display in our museum to educate people about everything Tanzanite.
Why source tanzanite from tanzania?
Tanzania is the world’s largest and only producer of tanzanite. These rare gem deposits are known to be confined to a few square miles of land in northern Tanzania and it is the only gemstone which has large growing popularity and a limited known supply. Sourcing and buying Tanzanite from trusted dealers in Tanzania helps support the country’s economy. You’ll also be getting stones and jewelry from the source, so you can be sure you’re getting the best quality Tanzanite at the best price.
Tanzanite is a variety of the mineral zoisite and its different varieties range from blue to violet, or purple in color. This gemstone is best described as ‘a rare Precious stone’, it is 1,000 times rarer than diamonds. The Tanzanite jewelry is highly valuable and sought-after, both for the gem’s uncommonness, as well as its exquisiteness.