It has normally been a aspiration of mine to check out a mine! To be in a position to go to the starting of the journey that gems and diamonds choose to be last but not least introduced on the parts I share on a daily foundation. Lastly an chance offered itself again in Could/June 2022 thanks to Eshed Gemstar and we had been linked to Gemfields! Eshed Gemstar acquired Gemfields Chipembele emerald which is the largest single cluster emerald that was unearthed in Kagem mine and holds the GUINNESS World Information™ for the biggest uncut emerald (1.505 kg 7,525 carat). Following unearthing Chipembele, Gemfields recovered the Kafubu Cluster, a colossal 37,555-gram (187,775 carat) emerald cluster which was sold during a new auction that took location in November 2022.
Gemfields Team is consisting of Faberge (100%), Kagem Emerald Mine in Zambia (75%) and Montepuez Ruby Mine in Mozambique (75%).
After the introduction, Gemfields were being much too happy to invite and host us on an 8-day trip to go to their Kagem Emerald Mine in Zambia! Convention phone calls later on, our itineraries ended up booked and quick forward to Oct 2022, vaccinated and packed, I was completely ready for my 1st ever vacation to Africa and 1st mine go to.
Above 24 hours of vacation through Singapore Airlines from Melbourne to Johannesburg, I arrived in Johannesburg airport and reunited with my companion in bling, Tracey (AKA TheDiamondsGirl). We had been joined by Beatrice from Gemfields London office environment, and our primary journey to Ndola, Zambia began! A short flight later, we all arrived in Ndola found in the northern aspect of Zambia. In excess of night keep in Ndola was significantly necessary to be ready for our drive to Kagem Emerald Mine in the early morning. Later that evening, Gillian joined our team, she runs a thriving PR agency in Lusaka and Gemfields is 1 of her customers.
Our travel from Ndola to Kagem took close to 4 several hours and we last but not least arrived at Kagem Emerald Mine. Found in the district of Lufwanyama in Copperbelt Province of Zambia, the space is enriched with pure sources of Copper.
I actually could not believe that that I am lastly listed here at the world’s premier emerald mine! Kagem is providing in excess of 30% of world emerald need. Following induction conferences and heading by means of security steps, it was time for us to travel to the pit. Gemfields Kagem Emerald Mine has 3 operating open up pit mines: Chama, Chibolele, Fibolele. Chama open up pit mine is 2.2 km extended and 140m deep and is supplying around 25% of world emerald manufacturing. Arriving at Chama open pit mine, the scale was thoughts blowing, and we experienced the prospect to push down into the pit wherever hefty equipment ended up going the waste rocks, ores and chisel gentlemen finding emeralds! To see it firsthand how an emerald is unearthed was these kinds of a amazing encounter. They were being variety sufficient to hand us the quite the latest emeralds that they unearthed, realizing it is their very first come across with gentle following becoming in darkness for the past 500 million years only provides to the romance of gems…
Pursuing our mine visit, following halt was the clean residence where by emeralds and rocks from mine are transferred to be washed and divided on substantial conveyor belts. I managed to location emeralds among the all the rocks and ores, you can see the online video on my Zambia highlights on my Instagram site. We stayed at the accommodation supplied on the mine web-site where all the workforce continue to be during their weekly/month-to-month shifts. Evening meal was held at the Lake Residence with most of the workers and administration workforce in attendance and we ultimately met Sean Gilbertson, CEO of Gemfields Group who mesmerized us all by his extensive expertise of mining and enthusiasm for emeralds and rubies.
The up coming early morning started by traveling to the form home. Jackson the manager of the kind residence has been at Kagem for the past 28 decades and talks and breathes emeralds. His incomparable information and experience is a true asset to Kagem. He managed to acquire us through each individual phase of sorting and separating emerald from the host rock to piles of recovered emerald that have been sorted, washed, oiled and completely ready to be taken to the auction. Kagem has its own proprietary grading procedure which presents a correct evaluation and declaration of therapy and is trusted and respected by the industry. Kagem also partnered with Gübelin and released provenance proof (paternity exam) technology that offers traceability making use of DNA-centered nanoparticles. In a nutshell though emeralds are at the kind property, an invisible layer of particular nanoparticles are inserted in the inclusions which remains in the stone during polishing and chopping. When an emerald with that distinct course of action makes it way to Gübelin for grading, Gübelin gemologists can determine it was mined at Kagem and trace it back to the source.
To give you a improved standpoint on rarity and scarcity of emeralds, produce out of 100 tons of squander is only 1 ton of ore which only 50 grams of emerald and beryl mix is recovered from that ore, and .3 grams of top quality emerald is recovered on regular from the emerald and beryl combine.
Notice: There is a NO Digital camera plan all over the mine web page and running amenities, but we were granted particular permission to carry our digicam/phones everywhere and provided obtain to limited spots to document and movie as we wished, and share our impartial opinion of the mine and its methods.
Rest of the day spent driving around the area and checking out group projects as section of Kagem social sustainability application building faculties, hospitals and sponsoring agricultural initiatives. We managed to interact with college principals and lecturers and have a improved comprehension of how group assignments are vital for the area and locals to thrive.
1% of Kagem Emerald Mine profits is allotted to fund group and conservation jobs. Providing extensive expression advantages to local community in well being, training and livelihood is part of Kagem three key values: Transparency, Legitimacy and Integrity.
25% of Kagem is owned by Zambian Authorities and 75% by Gemfields. Gemfields took more than Kagem back again in 2008 and as of 2022, Kagem has 1250 direct staff members and 413 workforce through contractors. As per interim report dated June 30 2022, Kagem initial 50 percent-year auction revenues totalled in $85.2 million, an all time report superior for Kagem. Considering that the first auction in July 2009, 41 auctions have taken area which produced $835.3 million in total revenues. All this info is offered to community as a result of Gemfields web page. Kagem generated 109.6 thousand carats of premium quality emeralds for the six months finished June 30th 2022 even though handling 5.8 million tonnes of rocks and squander.
Our very last evening coincided with award ceremony which was held to figure out staff for their attempts. And followed by an eye opening speech by Sean Gilbertson, CEO of Gemfields about moral mining practices, social obligation, immense expansion of revenue and eyesight for the upcoming. Terrific way to say goodbye to Kagem Emerald Mine. (You can view snippets of the speech on my Instagram Zambia highlights)
The up coming day, 4 of us embarked on an all working day journey from Kagem to Ndola, Ndola to Lusaka and Lusaka to Livingstone! By night we ended up standing on the Zambezi river in the wonderful city of Livingstone. Invested two times going to the Victoria Falls, cruising Zambezi river to see wild lifestyle and stayed in the most amazing lodge: The Royal Livingstone Lodge with wild daily life roaming the grounds.
Sooner or later had to say goodbye to the wonderful Africa and head property but nonetheless just after 6 weeks given that the excursion, I am reeling on the great and unforgettable memories.
Goodbye Africa! with Tracey aka TheDiamondsGirl
My honest many thanks to Eshed Gemstar for the initial introduction, Gemfields Group, Kagem Mining Ltd, management and the whole group in London and Ndola for arranging almost everything, their warm welcome and superb hospitality all through this journey, building this expertise an unforgettable a person!
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