![]() Ratnapura contains the most gem deposits and derived its name from the gem industry. It has been estimated that nearly 25% of the total land area of Sri Lanka is potentially gem-bearing, making Sri Lanka one of the countries with the highest density of gem deposits compared to its landmass. The metamorphic types of gems constitute 90% of the gem deposits in Sri Lanka. Residual deposits are mainly found in flood plains of rivers and streams. The gem is a form of quartz and is therefore abundant and inexpensive. Citrine is a tough gemstone and can be worn every day. It has a yellow-orange or yellow-brown hue that suits any jewelry wardrobe. It is named after citron, a French word for lemon. The mineralogy of the gem deposits varies widely with, among others, corundum ( sapphire, ruby), chrysoberyl, beryl, spinel, topaz, zircon, tourmaline, garnet being common. Citrine Citrine is a popular yellow gemstone. The gem deposits are classified as sedimentary, metamorphic and magmatic the sedimentary types being the most abundant. Contents 1 Characteristics 1.1 Value 2 Uses 3 List of gemstones 3.1 Agni mani 3.2 Alamandine 3.3 Alestone 3.4 Alexandrite 3.5 Algae 3.6 Amaratha 3.7 Amber 3.8 Amethyst 3.9 Andar 3.10 Aquamarine 3.11 Aradite 3.12 Augelite 3. Nearly all the gem formations in Sri Lanka are located in the central high-grade metamorphic terrain of the Highland Complex. Gemstones are small pieces of mineral crystal or similar hard substance prized for their appearance and rarity. The gems form in sedimentary residual gem deposits, eluvial deposits, metamorphic deposits, skarn and calcium-rich rocks. Ninety percent of the rocks of the island are of Precambrian age, 560 million to 2,400 million years ago. Chrysoberyl is a gemstone made of beryllium aluminate. Agate is cryptocrystalline silica, with a chemical formula of SiO 2. Sri Lanka, geologically speaking is an extremely old country. Diamond How Much Do Diamonds Cost Why are Diamonds Considered Precious Gems Are Some Diamonds Valuable than Others Legends and Interesting Facts Price Chart Based on Color 2. Alphabetical List of Precious and Semiprecious Gemstones Agate. Serendib was the ancient name given to the island by middle – eastern and Persian traders that crossed the Indian Ocean to trade gems from Sri Lanka to the East during the 4th and 5th century. Records from sailors that visited the island states that they brought back “jewels of Serendib”. Ptolemy, the 2nd century astronomer recorded that beryl and sapphire were the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s gem industry. Marco Polo wrote that the island had the best sapphires, topazes, amethysts, and other gems in the world. The name is a reflection of its natural wealth. Sri Lanka was affectionately known as Ratna-Dweepa which means Gem Island. Sri Lanka’s gem industry has a very long and colorful history.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |