Indian Jewelry » Coloured Gemstones India

Colored Gemstone
A number of natural colored gemstones are also found in India. The variety of indigenous mineral production in this sector ranges from the best blue sapphires in the world, good quality emeralds and average rubies to common agates. But the quantities produced in India of most of the material are not sufficient. Therefore, in the colored gemstones section too, India has to depend largely on imported raw material.

The rough of colored gemstones flows in from many overseas sources.
Emeralds, often routed through Switzerland, come from Colombia,Brazil and some other African countries. Sapphires are imported from Australia and Thailand. Rubies come from Thailand. Zambia has proposed for joint processing ventures. Nairobi, Kenya, is another source for rubies. More are now available from Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma). Fine quality 'West Pokol' ruby rough has lately been coming in from the bordering area between Kenya and Uganda.

For other rough, the major source is Brazil. Some supplies come through Idar Oberstein, Germany. Opals are imported from Australia and Mexico. Canada supplies amber. Although India has a well developed colored gemstones cutting and polishing industry, some rough is also exported. For instance, the best garnet rough produced in Orissa is being exported. lolite mined there has also been flowing out.