How are stones mined? How precious stones are mined How precious stones are mined from placers

The precious stones of Russia are known all over the world. Many deposits are unique in terms of volume and grade. The main area of ​​occurrence is the central and northeastern parts of the country. The most famous and developed deposits are located in the Urals, in the Yamalo-Nenets district, the Chelyabinsk region (Norilsk). Yekaterinburg and other cities of the Sverdlovsk region, the Baikal region (Irkutsk and Chita regions, Buryatia) are famous for their precious stones.

The first Russian diamonds were found in the Urals in 1829... The extraction was carried out by handicraft methods, very often precious stones were found by accident during the washing of gold-bearing sand. In less than 100 years, 250 diamonds weighing up to 25 carats were mined in the Urals. Ural diamonds are amazingly clear and transparent. Later, deposits were discovered in the western regions of the Urals.

Diamond mining in Siberia began only in the 50s of the twentieth century. The largest kimberlite pipes were found in Yakutia. This made Russia one of the world leaders in diamond mining.

Yekaterinburg and the cities of the Sverdlovsk region amaze with a variety of minerals. What semi-precious and precious stones are mined here? Ekaterinburg is part of the so-called Uralsky region. The variety of minerals mined here is simple amazing: garnets (red jewelry and grossulars), malachite, rauchtopaz... The Ural topaz is very famous - red, blue and purple. Most of all, Yekaterinburg values ​​wine-yellow stone.

The regional center and adjacent areas are famous for the deposits of rare minerals. In the Urals, verdelite and rhodonite are mined. Yekaterinburg is the center of one of the oldest mining regions in the country. The whole world knows photos showing Ural gems. At the same time, only part of the explored mineral reserves is currently being developed. Emeralds supplied by Yekaterinburg have a rich green color and high transparency..

Recently, the news was announced that a new gem was found in the Sverdlovsk region - mariinskite. The mineral is slightly inferior to diamond in terms of hardness and brilliance.
Besides, Yekaterinburg supplies the whole world with amethysts and aquamarines... Red and black jasper are mined in the Sverdlovsk region. Black tourmalines - sherls - have been explored and actively mined.

The territory of the Urals is huge and rich in minerals. Bazhov glorified the Ural gems in his works. No photo captures the entire brilliance of precious stones mined in the Urals. Minerals are highly regarded by jewelers all over the world.

The largest deposits of emeralds and alexandrites are being developed in the Urals... The richest occurrence of high-quality charoite is also found in the Urals. Moonstone is mined in the Chelyabinsk region. Adularia from the Urals often contains inclusions of golden sand. An almost transparent moonstone was found on the Kola Peninsula and in the Subpolar Urals.

The area around Lake Baikal is known for deposits of well-formed topaz. Almost all Russian jade is mined in Buryatia... Its main deposits are located relatively close to Lake Baikal. Therefore, the extraction of stone is carried out with care so as not to harm the ecosystem of the lake. Russian jade has a variety of colors, there are even black specimens.

A little west of Lake Baikal, bright red garnets - pyropes - are mined from the deposits of the Bartoi group. The deposits of the Irkutsk region in the Baikal region give the country amethysts, light blue lapis lazuli, aquamarines and pink-red rhodonites. Tourmalines are mined not far from Lake Baikal. In the Baikal region, a pearl moonstone is mined.

Norilsk is famous, first of all, for its huge areas of occurrence of iron ore, natural gas and oil. In addition, Norilsk is famous for precious and semi-precious stones. Jadeite is mined in the vicinity of the city and adjacent areas. Norilsk has deposits of high quality greenish-yellow olivine.

Jewelers know Norilsk as a place where very rare stones are mined. Due to the large reserves of aluminum and iron ore, Norilsk and the Krasnoyarsk Territory are the owners of pumpelliite deposits. Among other collectible minerals that Norilsk mines is myukite. Norilsk is known for a large number of zeolites. Prehnite stands out among them. The mineral is believed to have medicinal properties.

Norilsk is one of the places where a rare light yellow stilbite was found. As for the name, it is Greek and means "shine". The stone has an increased shine, which cannot be conveyed in the photo. Norilsk recently began supplying new semi-precious stones to the market - xonotlites. They are white in color with black or gray streaks.

Nizhny Novgorod is not particularly rich in minerals. On an industrial scale, Novgorod extracts dolomite, clay and sand. The news is surprising that Nizhny Novgorod can extract diamonds from the earth... This was announced by the governor of the region. The area with diamond-bearing pipe, which is owned by Nizhny Novgorod, is small. But geological exploration continues. Perhaps in the future the city will become one of the centers for the production of industrial diamonds. Nizhny Novgorod maintains the glory of the homeland of its magnificent stone carvers. The products of local craftsmen are known all over the world.

Makhachkala and the entire Dagestan Territory are known for deposits of iron ores and oil. Precious stones are quite rare here. But Makhachkala has some reserves of rock crystal, chalcedony, agate and carnelian... Jewelry art is highly developed in the region. Kubachi, Makhachkala, Derbent are famous for their masters of glyptics - artistic stone cutting.

In the Oryol region, significant deposits of precious stones have not been discovered, but there are large reserves of raw materials for building materials. The healing stones of the village of Andreevka are known far beyond the Oryol region. Large boulders have bizarre shapes. Each stone has special properties: heals diseases, helps in personal life or study.

The Volgograd region also cannot boast of gems. But there are well-known burial mounds in Surovikino. These are accumulations of large blocks of sandstone that retain heat all year round. Many tourists come to Surovikino, having heard about the healing properties of local stones.

Crimea

Many regions of Crimea (Kerch, Bakhchisarai, Feodosia) have deposits of precious and ornamental stones. Limestone and shale rocks are typical for Crimea. Carnelian, amethyst (pink and purple), onyx and opal are extracted from the depths of the Crimea..

The variety of colors of Crimean agates is surprising. Black and white stones with stripes of pink, blue, red, brown and gray are mined here. Bakhchisarai and the Kerch region of Crimea are famous for their large reserves of jet. These are black petrified branches and tree trunks that look like a stone. Many Crimean souvenirs are made from this gem.

On the territory of Kara-Dag there are deposits of rock crystal, heliotrope, opal, chalcedony and jasper... But this part of the Crimea is a protected area, therefore, the extraction of stones is not carried out. There are rare milk opals on the peninsula (Kara-Dag, Bakhchisarai, Sudak). Citrines are often found in rocks.

Explorers of the Crimea have found minerals in its lands that are characteristic only of this region. The most famous - kerchenite, mitridatite, alushtite and bosporite - were named according to the places of discovery. Bakhchisarai, Fiolent, Karadag are rich in jaspers of various colors. Most typical for Crimea are red and yellow jasper with color splashes.

The whole world knows the decorative stones of the Crimea - the Black Sea routes, marble, diabase... Feodosia, Sevastopol, Bakhchisarai have rock crystal deposits. Large-scale extraction of semi-precious raw materials on the peninsula is limited, since most of the Crimea belongs to protected and protected areas.

There are no more than two dozen major manufacturers of precious and ornamental stones in the world. These are countries in which the export of gems makes up a significant, or even the main, part of the national budget. If you do not take into account the diamond-mining regions, then the richest countries in various precious minerals will be Australia, Brazil, Congo, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, India, South Africa, Colombia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan. Europe is the poorest in precious stones, North America, the northern part of Asia and Australia are relatively poor in their industrially important deposits.

World leaders in the extraction of precious stones

The most significant diamond deposits are located in South Africa (primary deposits in kimberlites), Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Angola, other countries of South and West Africa, as well as in Russia.

In the old days, the (now lost) diamond deposits of India and Brazil were of great importance, from which most of the historic diamonds originate.

Chrysoberyl deposits are found in Russia (in the Urals, now mined), in Sri Lanka, Brazil and Zimbabwe.

World leaders in the production of ornamental stones

The most valuable type of corundum is ruby... Its most important deposits are located in Myanmar (Mogok), Thailand, Sri Lanka and India. Ruby deposits are also known in Tanzania, Pakistan, Norway, Greece (Macedonia), Switzerland (Campolungo, canton Tessin), etc.

Along with the ruby, among corundums it is valued sapphire... The most beautiful sapphires are mined from placers in Kashmir (India), in addition, good sapphires are known in Sri Lanka, Kampuchea (Pailin), Thailand and Myanmar. The sapphire deposits in Australia, Madagascar, Brazil and the USA (Montana) are also worthy of mention. Fancy colored corundums come mainly from Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Australia.

Place of Birth spinels, as a rule, genetically and spatially associated with corundum deposits and are known, for example, in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan.

Main deposits noble opal located in Australia (black opals), Mexico (fire and "moon" opals), in a number of other places in Central America, as well as in the USA and Brazil. In Africa, finds of opal are known in Ethiopia. Finds of noble opal were also noted in Russia.

The most valuable variety of beryl is Emerald, the main deposits of which are located in Colombia (emerald mines Muzo, Chivor-Somondoko, Buenavista, Gahala), in Zimbabwe (Sandavana), in South Africa (Leidsdorp in Transvaal), in Pakistan, Zambia, India, Brazil and Russia (Malyshevskoe deposit and r . Current in the Urals). In addition, emeralds are known in Australia, Norway and Austria (Habachtal).

The most significant deposits are located in Colombia. The most important mine "Muzo" is located 100 km north-west of Bogota. Emeralds were mined here by the Incas, then the deposit was forgotten and rediscovered by the Spaniards in the 17th century. The development of this deposit is carried out both by adits and by open pit mining. The soft emerald-bearing rock is first loosened mechanically and then manually disassembled. The host rocks are black carbonaceous shales. Associated minerals: albite, apatite, aragonite, barite, calcite, dolomite, fluorite, pyrite. Another important deposit is the Chivor mine, located north of Bogota; it was located on the slope of a mountain, at an altitude of 2360 m. These mines were also developed by the Incas, and later were intensively exploited by the Spaniards, but in 1675 all work was stopped, the deposit was abandoned and forgotten. It was rediscovered only at the turn of our century. The host rocks here are grayish-black shales and gray limestones. Along with open-pit mining, the deposit has recently also been developed by adits. In recent decades, new deposits have been discovered in Colombia, including the secondary Gahala deposit, adjacent to Chivor.

The Colombian government has been trying to establish control over the sale of emeralds for many years, but most of the products enter the market illegally. No more than a third of the emeralds found are suitable for cutting. Transparent stones of high quality are rare, but stones of the size of a nut, fractured and overflowing with inclusions are usually found.

In Brazil, most of the deposits are located in the states of Bahia, Goias and Minas Gerais. Their industrial significance is not great. Brazilian emeralds are lighter in color than Colombian ones, mostly yellowish-green, but much cleaner.

Since the second half of the 50s, emerald deposits have been developed in Zimbabwe. The most significant of these is the Sandavana mine in the south of the country. The emerald crystals are small, but of good quality. The host rocks are represented by hornblende schists.

In the Northern Transvaal (South Africa), emeralds are mined using modern methods, using mechanization (the Cobra and Sommerset mines). Here, only 5% of the total production is suitable for cutting, the rest of the stones are too light or cloudy, and therefore go for cabochons. Emeralds are also known in neighboring Mozambique, where the most significant deposits are Morua and Maria III, at the southwestern end of the emerald-bearing zone, stretching for several tens of kilometers. Other varieties of beryl are of much lower value.

Aquamarines found in Brazil (Minas Gerais, Espiritu Santo, Baia Seira), East Africa (Mozambique, Kenya, Zimbabwe), Namibia, Madagascar and Russia (Siberia). Pink beryls are found in Madagascar, Brazil, Mozambique, and the United States (California).

Yellow, yellow-green and colorless beryls come mainly from Brazil, Madagascar, Namibia and East Africa, as well as other parts of the world.

The most valuable variety of pomegranates is demantoid- mined in Russia (Ural) and Italy (Fassatal, Alps). It is found in small quantities in Namibia, Korea, Iran, Hungary, Congo, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Switzerland and the USA. In Russia, the well-known Karkodinskoye field is located near the Karkodin railway station near the town of Verkhniy Ufaley. Demantoid is formed there on the walls of cracks in the form of single crystals or brushes and continuous granular masses. Crystals of high-quality demantoid are 2-10 mm in size and weigh from 0.25 to 5-6 carats.

Pyrope comes from sowing. Czech Republic, South Africa, Madagascar, Brazil and East Africa. A variable variety of the pyrope-almandine series, known as rhodolite, is mined as gemstones only in Tanzania and Madagascar.

Almandine mined in India and Sri Lanka.

Spessartine found in Madagascar and Brazil; grossular (hessonite) - in Sri Lanka and East Africa. Especially highly valued chrome grossulars are known so far only in Tanzania. Translucent varieties of grossular are also mined in South Africa.

Deposits of cutting olivine ( chrysolite or peridot) are being developed in APE (o. St. John in the Red Sea), Myanmar, USA and Norway.

Among pyroxenes, relatively important gemstones are jade and spodumene... The best of the jadeite deposits is located in Myanmar (Taumau); cutting jewelry spodumene is obtained from Brazil, Madagascar and the USA (California). Ornamental jadeite deposits are known in Russia.

Yellow, brown and orange-pink topaz of good quality are found only in Brazil (Minas Gerais, near Oruo Preto). Deposits of pink topaz in Germany (Schneckenstein in Saxony) and Russia are known from history. Brown topaz also comes from Mexico and Russia. Colorless and blue topaz are known in Brazil, Russia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Beautiful green tourmalines are mined in Namibia, Brazil, East Africa, Madagascar and Sri Lanka, red tourmalines - in Brazil, East Africa and the USA (California), pink and crimson-red rubellites are mined in Russia.

Zircons found mainly in Thailand, Sri Lanka, East Africa, Madagascar and Brazil.

Zoisite, as a gem (that is, its blue transparent and translucent green varieties) is known so far only in Tanzania.

Amber found mainly in Russia, Poland, Lithuania along the coast of the Baltic Sea, and in the Dominican Republic (rare blue amber).

From deposits of quartz, in particular rock crystal, it should be noted, first of all, the deposits of Brazil, Madagascar and India.

Amethysts mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Zambia, Namibia and Madagascar. Deposits of amethysts are also known in Russia, USA, Mexico, France, Germany and some other countries.

Notable deposits citrine are found mainly in Brazil, Madagascar, Spain and England (along with other countries).

Smoky quartz is found in Brazil, Madagascar and Russia, and rose quartz is found in Brazil, Mozambique, South Africa and India.

Chrysoprase currently comes primarily from Australia (Queensland). Its other deposits are known in Franconia (Germany), Silesia (Poland), Kazakhstan and East Africa.

Along with deposits with a long history agates in Sicily, Germany (Idar-Oberstein and Saxony) industrially important, of world importance, are also deposits of agates in Brazil, Uruguay, Madagascar, Namibia and Morocco.

Among carbonates, only malachite and rhodochrositis... Malachite deposits are associated with copper ore deposits and are known mainly in Congo, Zambia and Russia (although the glory of the Ural stones is already in the past), Kazakhstan; gem-quality rhodochrosite has been found so far only in Argentina.

Of the phosphates, only turquoise... Its main deposits are located in Iran, China and the United States. Low quality turquoise comes to the market from Mongolia. We should also mention the deposits on the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt), which are now of purely historical interest. In Russia, small manifestations of turquoise are known in Altai and the Polar Urals.

Transparent lazulite gem quality is found only in Brazil, although in general lazulite deposits are also known in Switzerland, Angola, Congo and Austria (in alpine veins), its findings (opaque) were noted in Russia - Mamsko-Chuisky district of Irkutsk region and Dzhidinsky - in the Republic of Buryatia.

Among the silicates in the amphibole group, the deposits should be noted jade.

The most important of them are in New Zealand, on the South Island; in Russia (Baikal mountain region), China (ridge West Kun-Lun, river Karakash), Canada, Australia, USA, Poland and New Guinea.

Place of Birth lapis lazuli(lapis lazuli) are located in Afghanistan, Russia (Baikal region), Tajikistan (Pamir) and Chile.

Rhodonite comes mainly from South Africa and Australia. There are also rhodonite deposits in Japan and the USA.

The only field in the world charoita known in Russia.

At all times the existence of civilizations on Earth, the list of which always consisted of many items, were a sign of wealth. They personified the presence of a high social status. Hundreds of years ago, in some countries there was a law according to which precious jewelry could only be worn by persons of the ruling elite. Today, if a family has a list of gems, then they are wealthy and prestigious.

Russia is a leading country in the sale and production of such precious stones. Here, a huge amount of stones are produced for the manufacture of jewelry. Gemstones are mainly used:

• rubies;
• diamonds;
• emeralds.

The laws of the Russian Federation clearly and strictly regulate the production and sale of jewelry stones and products.

Existing classification of gemstones

The variety of precious stones made it necessary to start their classification. They are classified into several types.

Gems are natural gemstones that make up the first type:

• alexandrite;
• Emerald;
• chrysoberyl;
• euclase;
• ruby;
• diamond;
• sapphire;
• noble spinel.

The list of the second group includes varieties of gems:

• topaz;
• heliodor;
• vorobievite;
• beryl;
• aquamarine;
• tourmaline (various colors);
• zircon;
• amethyst;
• phenakite;
• opal;
• hyacinth.

The third included:

• amber;
• cornelian;
• jet;
• turquoise;
• chrysoprase;
• rauchtopaz;
• rhinestone;
• bloodstone.

Colored minerals and their features

First grade:

• malachite;
• nephritis;
• lapis lazuli;
• amazonite;
• rhodonite;
• aventurine;
• granite
• chalcedony;
• Labrador.

The second class includes minerals, the characteristics of which are somewhat different from the rest:

• agalmatolite;
• ophiocalcite;
• selenite;
• jasper;
• meerschaum;
• fluorite.

What is the household classification?

This list is understood as a simplified classification. This catalog contains precious and semi-precious ornamental stones. They come in several varieties.

• ruby;
• sapphire;
• alexandrite;
• diamond;
• chrysoberyl;
• opal;
• Emerald;
• euclase;
• spinel.

• topaz;
• aquamarine;
• red tourmaline;
• phenakite:
• beryl;
• demantoid;
• opal;
• blood amethyst;
• almandine;
• hyacinth;
• zircon.

The list of semi-precious stones includes:

• Garnet;
• dioptase;
• turquoise;
• epidol;
• tourmaline;
• rhinestone;
• rauchtopaz;
• chalcedony;
• Labrador;
• amethyst.

Gemstones have always been distinguished by their expressiveness. These minerals include:

• nephritis;
• lapis lazuli;
• amazonite;
• jasper;
• spar;
• Labrador;
• quartz;
• vesuvian;
• bloodstone,
• nacre;
• jet;
• amber;
• corals.

Stones for jewelry

They have many different classifications. For work, only certain precious and ornamental stones are taken. They are easy to process, it is easy to make all kinds of jewelry items from them.

Mineral raw materials are classified according to a number of characteristic features:

• origin;
• chemical composition;
• crystal cell;
• dimensions.

For the first time in 1860, a German scientist compiled a classification of gemstones. He created a directory that included several classes and groups.

The first had three subclasses. The first included:

• diamond;
• spinel;
• chrysoberyl;
• corundum.

The second included:

• tourmaline;
• Garnet;
• zircon;
• topaz;
• opal;
• beryl.

The third class of steel includes:

• kpanit;
• axinite;
• cordierite;
• chrysolite;
• vesuvian;
• staurolite;
• andalusite;
• turquoise;
• epidote;
• xpastolite.

The second group also has two subclasses.

First subclass:

• chalcedony;
• quartz;
• feldspar;
• lapis lazuli;
• amber;
• fluorite;
• diopside;
• obsidian.

Second subclass:

• hematite;
• rhodochrositis;
• pyrite;
• malachite;
• alabaster;
• selenite;
• marble;
• spar;
• agalmatolite;
• serpentine;
• nephritis;
• jade.

In 1896, an updated classification of gemstones was proposed. It was taken as a basis and became popular among jewelers. Later it was supplemented by Academician Fersman. According to this catalog, the division of jewelry stones took place. They were divided into:

• gems;
• jewelry semi-precious stones of different colors;
• natural;
• precious;
• just ornamental.

At the end of the 19th century, the catalog of minerals consisted of 750 species. Today the list has increased. It now contains 3,000 different types of minerals. Progress does not stand still, everything goes forward, new species open up.

However, with all the abundance of precious and jewelry and ornamental items, there are about 100. And only professional craftsmen can name such a number. Ordinary people know about 25 names of jewelry items.

Minerals without which jewelry crafts are impossible

To create a beautiful piece of jewelry or an expensive piece of jewelry, professionals use:

• gems;
• colored stones;
• artificial minerals.

Gems mean certain types of stones:

• ornamental;
• mountain;
• colored;
• precious;
• semi-precious.

Each stone has characteristic properties:

• transparency;
• resistance to aggressive environments;
• bright color;
• beautiful shine;
• light scattering;
• the possibility of affordable processing.

The most popular gems used in most jewelry are precious minerals. Jewelers most often use emerald, ruby, diamond and sapphire.

Of all the semi-precious stones available, the craftsmen use opal, topaz, alexandrite and rock crystal.

These stones have a unique play of light color, they are easy to process and cut. They are used to make inserts in various types of jewelry, rings and other products in which precious stones are used.

For thousands of years, certain groups of minerals, considered gemstones, have always been prized. They have always been in high demand. It is from them that jewelers make jewelry and luxury products. Such stones include:

• turquoise;
• Garnet;
• quartz;
• chalcedony;
• jade;
• olivine;
• amethyst;
• centrite;
• amazonite;
• Moonstone;
• nephritis;
• tourmaline;
• lapis lazuli;
• spannel.

Gems tend to be slightly translucent, sometimes they are completely opaque.

Gems contain minerals that give them a beautiful hue. For example, malachite has a green color. This color is given by 57% copper oxide.

The hardness of ornamental elements is divided by professionals into several groups.
The hardest are:

• charoite;
• nephritis;
• chalcedony;
• jasper;
• lapis lazuli;
• rhodonite;
• agate.

Ornamental stones of medium hardness include marble, malachite and serpentine.

The softest steel:

• selenite;
• anhydrite;
• calcite;
• gypsum;
• talcochlorite;
• alabaster.

Famous jewelry semi-precious stones

Today, many different artificial stones have appeared. They perfectly imitate natural gems. Of course, you need to be able to distinguish ordinary glass from a natural semi-precious mineral. To do this, you must, first of all, know how real jewelry and ornamental items look like.

This is usually a completely opaque mineral, rock, or organic compound. A semi-precious stone is always without shine. However, if it receives a high-quality cut, its beauty will not be inferior to an expensive diamond. Very rare stones are priced expensive, the cost is measured in six figures. The weight of such an original is determined by the carats.

Semi-precious stones have special physical characteristics. They can be easily distinguished by measuring their density, hardness and cleavage.

The most important difference between these gems is a huge range of colors and numerous shades. Such a variety was provided to them by the chemical composition given by nature. They contain various oxides of iron, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, copper and even potassium.

These oxides give the minerals the most unique shades. Such gems are used as inserts required in chic jewelry, as well as raw materials for interior decoration.

Ornamental stones are also divided into several groups. It all depends on the value of the mineral. So there are several groups.

• rauchtopaz:
• crystal;
• amber;
• malachite;
• jade;
• lapis lazuli;
• aventurine;
• charoite.

• chalcedony;
• agate;
• amazonite;
• hematite;
• rhodonite;
• heliotrope;
• opal;
• Labrador;
• quartz;
• obsidian.

• jasper;
• marble;
• jet;
• fluorite.

Sometimes ornamental stones belonging to the first group are considered precious gems of the third order.

The initial use of stone by man was limited only to domestic use. This is a solid material that at the dawn of civilization helped to get food, keep warm and shelter from bad weather. Jasper, agate, rock crystal, flint were used for the manufacture of sharp objects in the human economy during the Mesolithic hours. During the Neolithic period, people began an active search for rocks and the extraction of stones. These were shallow mines, in which both silica and other hard minerals were mined, having a sharp edge when cleaved (nephrite, jadeite). At the same time, man began to deify stones, endowing them with magical properties. A logical connection appeared between the deification of objects of inanimate nature and the desire to wear at least a small piece of the deity.

Over time, having appreciated the beauty of individual minerals, man began to search for the most beautiful of them. Later, a person will learn how to handle stones and make jewelry out of them. And demand generates supply. Jewelers needed material for their masterpieces, court ladies competed in the beauty of their jewelry, so the extraction of stones and minerals in different countries became more and more active. Indians are considered to be the first miners of precious stones. In 2000 BC. people already appreciated emeralds and organized their active extraction in the territory of Ancient India and Ancient Egypt. Rubies and sapphires have been around since 600. BC, glorifying Sri Lanka. Around the same time, the diamond mines of India became famous all over the world. In the burials of Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, jewelry made of gems was found, which confirms the fact that people have been engaged in the extraction of stones and their processing for a long time. At the same time, the visiting card of each region was its own gem. If from the East, merchants imported diamonds, rubies, emeralds to Europe, then amber spread in the opposite direction from the territory of the Baltic coast. The whole world learned about the malachite deposits of the Urals in the 18th century.

How did you get the gems?

What are the methods of mining stones? The emergence of rocks containing precious and semiprecious stones on the earth's surface or closer to it allowed the mining industry to develop. By chipping off, blocks of stones are separated from the base rock and delivered to the surface. For this, first picks were used, then jackhammers and explosives. Places where minerals are extracted in this way are quarries and mines. If earlier diamonds were mined intuitively, taking into account the experience of finds, now, to find a diamond deposit, special equipment and geological exploration are used. If we are talking about loose deposits, then the stones that had already broken away from the main rock (weathered) fell with other fragments into the rivers. To find them, we used the washing method, and did this with the help of dredges - special equipment for washing.

More than 100 of the most famous gem deposits are not entirely evenly distributed, but still scattered around the world. The East is most famous for the extraction of precious stones. If we compare the stones and their deposits, we get the following: India - diamonds, Myanmar - rubies, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka - sapphires, China and Myanmar - jade, Myanmar, Thailand - spinel, Afghanistan, Chile - lapis lazuli, Iran - turquoise , Australia - opals, pearls, sapphires, Madagascar - beryl, Brazil - diamonds, Colombia - emeralds. Russia also has something to be proud of. In the eastern part of the country, diamond, topaz, jade, aquamarine, lapis lazuli and other gems are mined. The Urals mountains are famous all over the world for deposits of emeralds, chrysoberyl, amethyst, rock crystal, jasper and, of course, malachite.

Deposits of precious stones are not bottomless, which is why a scientific approach is used for further searches for diamond deposits. So in 1955 the Mir kimberlite pipe was found and the Yakutsk diamond deposit was founded. The city of Mirny that emerged in that place is called the modern diamond capital of Russia. Now it is home to more than 35 thousand people, most of whom are employed at diamond mining enterprises. The quarry, where precious stones - diamonds are mined - has a depth of 525 m. Such industrial methods are much more effective than the methods of our ancestors. But at the same time, they are devastating the world's reserves of stones and minerals at an industrial rate.

Jewelry is not only an accessory, but also a profitable investment, but only if it is jewelry made of precious metals with natural stones. It should be said that not only diamonds are precious, and the assortment of natural stones is simply huge, but at the same time it is important to know how to properly assess their quality, not to fall for a fake, and, most importantly, by what parameters the cost of stones is determined.

What are gems

Natural minerals, mainly of crystalline nature, which have no color at all, or have a beautiful, uniform color of moderate tone, transparency and hardness, shine, play in the light and cause admiration are considered precious. A natural gemstone must be resistant to wear and tear and fading, as well as external chemical attack.

Natural stones are used to create jewelry and other artistic products, and their price is largely determined by the prevalence of the gem in natural conditions.

There are several opposite classifications of precious stones, the most common of which are jewelry and general (taking into account the cost of gems).

Jewelry classification

Jewelry craftsmen divide all stones into natural and synthetic. Artificial gems have no material value, but natural ones can be of organic or mineral origin, and are divided into several categories.

In jewelry and trading practice, all natural stones used are divided into:

• precious;
• semi-precious;
• ornamental.

Among the precious stones are rocks of mineral origin with high hardness and transparency - diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, as well as natural organic pearls.

Crystal size and value is determined by its carat weight.

Diamond is the hardest and most expensive gemstone that is mined by cutting a diamond. The cost of diamonds, in addition to size, is also determined by its color and clarity (the presence of natural defects).

Gems, the names and photos of which can be found in the article, can be selected both in appearance and in quality characteristics, horoscope, and other individual parameters.

Emerald is a rather fragile and low-translucent stone, which is valuable, first of all, for its unusual green color, a shade of fresh grass.

Ruby is one of the subspecies of mineral origin of corundum stone, it is distinguished by a bright and rich red color.

Sapphire is also a member of the corundum group, has a high transparency, and its shades range between dark blue and pale blue. Sapphires are rare in nature. However, their cost is lower than that of rubies.

Pearls are a precious stone of organic origin, formed in the shells of sea and river molluscs. Pearl color is from white to black. The larger the pearl grain, the higher its value.

Semi-precious stones can also be transparent or colored, and among them the most popular are:

• turquoise;
• Garnet;
• topaz;
• amethyst;
• tourmaline;
• zircon;
• opal;
• quartz;
• spinel.

Ornamental stones are slightly transparent or generally opaque minerals of low hardness. At the same time, such stones are distinguished by a beautiful natural pattern and color, therefore they are widely used in jewelry.

The most common ornamental stones are:

• cornelian;
• agate;
• onyx;
• cat's eye;
• jasper;
• malachite.

General classification

The abundance of classifications of precious stones is due to the fact that specialists in different fields distinguish different quality characteristics of gems that are necessary in their business and divide stones into types in accordance with such characteristics.

There are classifications based on:

• the chemical composition of the crystals;
• the origin of the stones;
• sizes;
• colors;
• crystallographic parameters;
• methods of processing;
• cost;
• medicinal properties;
• destination.

The first scientifically grounded classification, demonstrating which stones are precious, was formed in 1860 by the German scientist Kluge, who divided the stones not only into precious and semi-precious, but also into different classes, according to their physical characteristics. Subsequently, knowledge about stones increased and the classification was supplemented.

The simplest and most accurate is the division of stones into groups, according to their purpose:

• jewelry;
• jewelry and ornamental;
• ornamental.

To date, the most complete and widespread is the classification of gems by the scientist Kievlenko, which takes into account both the purpose and the cost of precious stones.

According to this classification, gems are divided into groups and orders within these groups:

Jewelry stones

• 1st order: diamond, ruby, emerald, blue sapphires.
• 2nd order: orange alexandrite, purple and green sapphires, black opals, jadeite.
• 3rd order: spinel, fire and white opals, topaz, aquamarine, tourmaline, rhodolite.
• 4th order: chrysolite, zircon, beryl, turquoise, amethyst, citrine.

Jewelry and semi-precious stones

• 1st order: lapis lazuli, jade, malachite, charoite, amber, rock crystal.
• 2nd order: agate, hematite, obsidian.

Ornamental stones

• jasper;
• onyx;
• pegmatite;
• quartzite.

Gem colors

Most of the gems have the same or similar features, as among transparent stones there are groups of different minerals of the same color, therefore it is not always possible to determine the nature of the stone solely by shade and additional expertise is required to determine the crystallographic indicators. A high clarity blue gemstone can be either topaz or sapphire. The cost of these stones is very different, but for an ordinary man without experience in gemology, the difference may not be noticeable.

However, it is the colors of the stones that are their main distinguishing characteristic.

By color, stones are:

• Transparent: diamond, rock crystal, zircon.
• Opaque: pearls, coral, amber.

Red

• Transparent: fire opal, ruby, spinel.
• Opaque: coral.

• Transparent: hessonite, zircon, citrine
• Opaque: amber, jade, cat's eye.

Purple

• Transparent: amethyst, spinel.
• Opaque: charoite.

Pink

• Transparent: quartz, tourmaline, spinel.
• Opaque: pearls, coral, rhodonite.

Green

• Transparent: emerald, tourmaline
• Opaque: jadeite, malachite, jade, onyx.

Blue and blue:

• Transparent: aquamarine, topaz, tanzanite, zircon, sapphire, spinel.
• Opaque: turquoise, lapis lazuli.

Opaque black: pearls, hematite, obsidian.

Any color in fact consists of seven pure colors of the rainbow, which differ in wavelength. The visible color depends on the degree of reflection and absorption of the waves in the color spectrum. Thus, a stone that transmits the entire spectrum of colors through itself appears to be transparent, but if the stone absorbs the entire visible color spectrum, it is black. When a stone reflects only one color, for example, blue, red or green, then only that color is visible to the human eye, and the rest of the colors are absorbed.

The color of the stone can be fully appreciated only in bright light, and the stone may look different in artificial and sunlight.

Transparency

Clarity is an important characteristic, especially when it comes to precious stones. In this case, transparency means the ability of a mineral to transmit light rays through itself. The transparency is also affected by the structure of the crystal, the presence of defects and cracks in it, and various inclusions. Inclusions, especially those larger than the wavelength of light, distort the passage of light through the stone, and with multiple inclusions, the stone becomes opaque.

The transparency of precious stones is assessed both visually and using a special device - a spectrophotometer.

By the level of transparency, gemstones are divided into:

• completely transparent (colorless or weakly colored, through the edges of which objects are clearly visible).
• translucent (colorless and colored stones through which objects are seen blurry);
• translucent in thin layers (stones, into which light penetrates only in the outer layer, but not through and through, objects are not visible);
• completely opaque.

Shine

Gemstones, which are primarily named after minerals, are classified based on their luster, among other characteristics.

Luster is the ability of a stone's surface to refract and reflect light.

Depending on the nature of the shine, the stones are divided into:

• Diamond (diamond, zircon), in which light is strongly reflected from the surface.
• Glass (corundum, topaz, tourmaline) - glassy gloss.
• Wax (turquoise, jasper, coral), matt surface with a slight gloss.
• Metallic (hematite, pyrite), strong reflection of light from the surface of opaque stones.
• Resinous (amber).
• Mother-of-pearl (pearl) shine and play of several colors.

Hardness

For a woman, precious stones are jewelry, but often not only their beauty is important, but their practicality, which depends on the quality characteristics of the mineral. The hardness of stones is measured on the Mohs scale. As a standard for the scale, 10 minerals of different intrinsic hardness are used, with which all other stones are compared. The indicator is evaluated in points.

Gemstones can be scratched by minerals with a higher Mohs hardness. The hardest gem is considered to be a diamond.

Treatment

Initially, the mineral looks absolutely unattractive, and only a master in an ordinary shard can see the beauty of a precious stone.

Without exception, all gems are processed in two ways:

• tumbling;
• cut.

The type of processing is selected according to the type, hardness and size of the mineral, as well as its purity and optical characteristics.

The stones are turned into cabochons by the tumbling method. Tumbling is considered the oldest type of processing of precious stones. This processing method is suitable for translucent and opaque minerals: turquoise, cat's eye, onyx, charoite, malachite.

The result of tumbling (grinding and careful polishing of the mineral) is a streamlined smooth stone without edges, often with a flat base, with which it is fixed in a metal frame.

Cabochons can not only be of different sizes, but differ in height and shape (flat, convex, concave).

Transparent minerals: sapphire, emerald, topaz, ruby ​​and, of course, diamond, are cut, giving them a geometric or fantasy shape with a large number of facets that provide a play of light.

Assortment of cuts

The most common gemstone cuts in jewelry are:

• circle;
• oval;
• pear;
• marquis;
• baguette;
• square;
• octagon;
• trillion;
• heart;
• polyhedron.

The circle is the most common form of cutting, as it allows you to get symmetrical inserts that perfectly transmit light. The standard of round cut is brilliant cut with 57 facets per stone.

Large minerals are often cut into ovals, making wedge-shaped edges on them. This cut became popular only in the 60s of the last century.

Despite the name of the pear cut, stones processed in this way outwardly resemble drops, in which the upper platform is smooth, and the play of light is provided by side wedge-shaped edges.

A marquise is a grain-shaped cut with pointed corners. With this method, the length of the stone is half its width, and it can serve as an insert not only for rings, but also for pendants and earrings.

Baguette is a type of stepped cut of a rectangular shape. With such processing, not only the advantages, but also the disadvantages of the stone become noticeable, and the quality of the mineral is especially important.

Square - step cut with equal length and width. Stones of this shape are used in jewelry both as a central insert and for framing.

Octagon is an octagon-shaped stone cut, often referred to as emerald. This shape is suitable even for brittle minerals, helping to prevent damage and chipping, but at the same time it perfectly demonstrates their purity and color.

Trillion - Triangle cut. The number of faces on a gem depends on the characteristics of the stone and the design of the future jewelry.

The heart is one of the most complex and expensive cuts, often used for exclusive jewelry. The cut quality is determined by the evenness of the contour of the finished stone.

A polyhedron is a type of cut in which the mineral is given the shape of five, six, octahedrons. This treatment is often used for semi-precious stones inserted into three-dimensional jewelry.

The best way to imagine what a particular gem looks like in different cuts is to look at a photo of the gemstones.

Weight of stones

The main factor that determines the value of a gemstone, in addition to clarity, cut, and color, is its weight.

The metric system used from the beginning of the twentieth century to our time, by which the weight of stones is determined, is carat.

A carat is a unit of mass equal to 0.2 grams used throughout the world to determine the mass of gemstones and pearls.

The weight of stones is determined with the help of special electronic scales, taking into account not only a whole number, but also hundredths and sometimes thousandths of a carat.

The weight of pearls is determined according to the carat system in grains, one carat contains 4 grains.

The larger the gem, the higher its value per carat, since large stones are the rarest, especially diamonds.