Sapphires are a variety of the mineral corundum that come in many colors, most commonly blue, yellow, and pink. They form due to trace elements in the aluminum oxide such as iron, titanium, and chromium. Some of the largest sapphires have been found in Sri Lanka, including the 422.99 carat Logan Sapphire. Sapphires are mined throughout the world in countries like Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Madagascar, and the United States. Traditional mining techniques include pit mining using bamboo cranes, while larger operations use open pit and open cast mining with machinery to excavate soil which is then washed and sieved to extract sapphires.

1. Sapphires
A brief overview of sapphires and
the mining techniques.

2. A Brief Introduction
• Sapphires are precious stones.
• Comes in many colors, Most commonly: blue, yellow,
pink.
• Variety of the mineral Corundum.
• 9 Hardness.
• Most commonly used in jewelry.
• Other uses are in scientific instruments, high durability
windows, wrist watch crystals, very thin electronic
wafers.
• Aluminum Oxide- trace elements of other minerals
give it its color- iron, titanium, chromium, copper,
magnesium.

3. The Logan Sapphire
One of the largest Sapphires found. It was found in Sri Lanka. It is
422.99 carats.

4. Sapphires come in a variety of colors

5. Locations of Sapphires
Sapphires can be found in
a number of places. • Cambodia
• Burma • China
• Kashmir, India • Malawi
• Sri Lanka • Nigeria
• Thailand • Tanzania
• Madagascar • Canada
• United States • Czech Republic
• Australia • Kenya
• Vietnam • Laos
• Colombia • Pakastan

6. Locations of Sapphires
• Burmese and Kashmir are the most sought after
• From 1970’s to 2000 Australia was the world’s largest
producer of Sapphires
• Madagascar is currently the world’s supplier of
Sapphires
• Sri Lanka has produced the most large sized stones.
• Burma used to be one of the most desirable locations
for Sapphires, but now few good Sapphires are being
produced.
• Kashmir Sapphires are know to be the highest quality
stones, but most mining has stopped. Only sporadic
mining is done.

7. Mining Techniques
Traditional Pit Mining:
• An example of pit mining would be when a vertical shaft is
dug by hand until they have they have reached gem level.
• A makeshift bamboo crane is assembled.
• The crane is used to bring up buckets of soil to be washed
and sieved.
• This method of mining is very dangerous and back-braking.
• These types of mines tend to collapse or cave in because
there is nothing supporting the walls of the pit.
• Pit Mining is an inexpensive operation to run but it also
doesn’t produce a large quantity of stones. Only a few men
are required to operate the mine.

8. An example of Traditional Pit Mining

9. Mining Techniques
Open Pit Mining:
• Is a small operation.
• An area is dug to gem level by machinery.
• Usually about 10 feet down to start.
• After the initial pit is dig everything else is
done by hand in small sections and sieved.
• This method does not produce a large
amount of gemstones.

10. An example of Open Pit Mining

11. Mining Techniques
Open Cast Mining:
• The work is seasonal
• This type of mining has to be done during the monsoon season, usually
around May to September.
• Large amounts of water is required to operate the hoses used to wash the
soil.
• A very large pit has to be dug.
• They use a large rotating drum with pumps and hoses.
• The soil is dug out with machinery and then placed on a rotating drum. The
drum washes and separates the gravel.
• The gems are removed from the pit and placed on a pulsating jig. The jig is
used to separates the soil from the gems.
• They try to minimize the environmental impact by refilling parts of the pit
that have already been mined.
• Gemstone production can vary greatly from day to day mostly depending on
the area being dug.

12. An example of Open Cast Mining

13. Equipment
Rotating Drum Pulsating Jig

14. END