[Article publié initialement le 9 février 2024]
To be considered precious, a stone must be pure, that is, it must consist of a single chemical element. Only four types of stones meet this requirement: diamond, sapphire, emerald and ruby. All other stones are considered semi-precious and are therefore less expensive.
It is worth noting that at one time, purple amethyst was classified as a precious stone. However, the discovery of large deposits in Brazil put an end to its rarity, demoting it to the status of a semi-precious stone.
Here’s where you can find these precious stones around the world and even in France.
The sapphire
Sapphire is generally found in tropical regions such as Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Burma, Brazil, Thailand and Africa. The most famous blue sapphires come from Kashmir (India) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Deposits of this stone are found in North America and even in France, mainly in Auvergne.
A river in Issoire is home to a large deposit of sapphires. The inhabitants of the region are in conflict over who are the rightful owners of the place.
The diamond
This precious stone composed only of pure carbon has already been found in several countries such as Russia, Botswana, Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
Formed very deep, at about 150 km depth, they only rise to the surface of the Earth thanks to volcanic eruptions. It should be noted that the first large diamond deposits were discovered and exploited in India, in the 16th century.
The Ruby
Rubies are the red version of sapphire. They are formed by the combination of several specific minerals that are pressed together at a depth of 25 to 50 km underground.
Many countries extract them: Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. But also Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Kenya, Tajikistan and Pakistan. The most beautiful rubies come from Burma.
The Emerald
In Egypt, the emerald was considered the queen of stones because it was Cleopatra’s favorite. This precious stone has always been coveted by powerful people. The emerald is mainly found in Colombia, where its formation dates back 65 million years.
Emeralds from this country are the most coveted and purest. Half of the world’s production is mined in Colombia. A few mines produce superb specimens in the Ural Mountains, India, Brazil, Zambia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
What semi-precious stones can be found in France?
In addition to sapphire, it is possible to find some gems in France:
- Amethyst: The largest amethyst deposit is located between Issoire and Ambert, around Vernet-la-Varenne, in Puy-de-Dôme.
- La fluorine : Langeac and Pébrac (Haute-Loire), Chavaniac-Lafayette (Haute-Loire), Saint-Germain-près-Herment (Puy-de-Dôme), Cadiz (Tarn)…
- The rutile : has already been found in several places in France: the Island of Groix (Morbihan), Concarneau (Finistère) and St-Yrieix (Haute-Vienne)
- Le quartz : Haute-Savoie, Isère
- The sand rose: Auvergne and Vaucluse
