2023-08-31 22:09:35
Discovered in 2008 in northern Ethiopia, opal quickly propelled the country to the rank of second largest exporter in the world. A trade that generated $2.6 million in 2021. But that’s nothing compared to what opal might generate if exploited even better. Lack of appropriate policy and legal framework, skilled manpower, private investment and local and global market promotion has hampered the growth of the sector.
By Clothilde Hazard
From our correspondent in Addis Ababa,
In the midst of the spectacular landscapes of Wello, young men progress on the steep sides of the mountains. After spotting a seam, they get busy with pickaxes and dig a deep tunnel. Without equipment, no helmet, no oxygen despite the heat and the altitude.
« It’s very dangerous: when there are cave-ins, it can kill a lot of miners. Because they have no protection. Sometimes when stones fall they get stuck in the tunnel. When you do this job, you risk your life “, warns Berihun Abere, labor inspector in this sector.
The methods are rudimentary. The opal thus extracted is small, often mixed with rock and therefore of lower quality. The miners are organized in a cooperative and collectively sell their opals. They must then be polished to reveal their colors.
Metasebia Asfaw sells for 30 euros per carat, or 150 euros per gram. ” There are several kinds of opal in Ethiopia, crystal opal, black opal, red, fire…”, describes Metasebia Asfaw, who wishes to underline: ” The more colorful they are, the more valuable they are. After polishing, it is ready to be sold and its price is set according to color, shape and size. »
Shape to better showcase the opal
To be able to sell the stone at its fair price, it is necessary to know how to highlight it and recognize its quality. A skill still too little widespread in the country. The World Gem Foundation, a gemology training organization, is launching a program in partnership with the Ministry of Mines so that Ethiopians can better take advantage of the precious and semi-precious stones present in their soil, opal, but also ruby and the emerald.
« The main problem is the lack of knowledge and we are trying to remedy this “, points out Haimanot Sisay, the director of the project. ” These resources are limited and we should know how to manage them and derive economic benefit from them. We’re educating people and I think following six months it’s going to change the dynamics of the industry. »
Today, Ethiopian gemstones are often sold raw at bargain prices, mainly in China or India. This program must train 1,000 gemologists in ten years to reclaim the market.
1693577967
#Ethiopia #opal #underexploited #resource
