In 1998 sapphires were found in the gravels near Ilakaka in southern Madagascar and a boom town of tens of thousands appeared in the scrub almost overnight; Madagascar is now one of the largest sapphire producers on Earth, and much of what is sold as Ceylon sapphire is Malagasy stone cut in Sri Lanka. Mining is largely hand-dug pits, with real hazards and hard conditions. Buy through the certified trade.
Sapphire, ruby
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