Sapphire Mining in Ceylon

Sapphires, before they reach the hands of a joyful customer: either in the form of a well-cut gemstone, or as a part of a fine jewellery item follow a long and complex process: from the hands of the miner to the fingertips of a jewellery designer, or trader. The process through which precious gemstones like sapphires go through an interesting, and quite fascinating journey. However the journey of a sapphire: From the time of its localisation in a certain plot of land (or water), in a particular region; the construction of the necessary infrastructure to mine the resource; the organization of the necessary personnel to work the mines, to the numerous other processes that underlie the transition of a piece mineral corundum to that of a glittering sapphire is a variegated one. One that differs in character and method when it comes to gem mining in Ceylon. Here we shall delve into the ways in which sapphires are unearthed, mined and brought to the hands of gem merchants and jewellers. However, sapphire mining is not a simple process. Nor is it a uniform one. As there is no one single way in which sapphires mined.

_{miners working in a multi-level open pit mine}

Sapphire Mining Methods in Ceylon

Before one gets to the ways in which this gemstone is mined in the island nation it is important to pay attention to the legal environment surrounding this practice. First, mining licenses that are required to conduct the search and mining for precious stones in this nation needs to be obtained by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority. The State authority provides legal permission for companies and private individuals to conduct their operations. However, the obtaining of these mining licenses requires the company or individual to meet strict criteria when it comes to environmental safety, worker well-being, and depending on the mining method in question, efforts to help rehabilitate the area that is subjected to commercial operations. Thus licences for gem mining in Sri Lanka are given out with a strict eye on the environmental and social impacts in mind; since the two, especially in places like Ratnapura (more on this below) are closely connected with one another.

River Mining

A practice that is also known as river digging, with the practical term for this technique known as “wet digging”: which involves the steady process of washing a collected deposit of water-filled gravel, that is taken from an area that is identified for its gem rich potential, and then an experienced worker who is tasked with the role, steadily moves the basket back and forth, removing the excess water and gravel and other deposits, to get to the harder and heavier gemstones. As one may know, sapphires are among the hardest natural minerals in the world. Scoring a high 09 on the Mohs scale for hardness. In Ceylon, this practice of river mining is carried out with a great degree of care and, one could say, artistry. The very movement that removes the excess water and wet sand is done rhythmically. And when the time comes for the remaining stones to be surveyed, the gem expert precedes his inspection with an act of veneration with a hold of his hands. Which is indicative of the economic and one could say spiritual significance that is attached to this practice.

Mechanized Mining

A rarity in this part of the world. Mechanized mining is a common feature of the diamond mining industry, with large scale projects involving huge excavations, large sunk costs, requiring big machinery, and manpower, and often involves an elongated process that could go on for a substantial period of time. Sapphire mining in Ceylon, and in fact virtually all gem mining actives in the Island nation do not follow this method. For often the much larger investment that is required to get such projects off the ground, something which many local landowners/gem miners cannot afford, owing to their larges scale investments.

Making matters more complicated are the areas in which such heavy digging and sourcing for gemstones would take place: near rivers and other water-rich areas. Which are often located near rice and other agricultural areas. Thus the dredging process and the disruption caused to the nearby environment is quite significant. Hence methods such as mechanized mining is a practice that is viewed with a degree of suspicion from the locals, give the vast scale of the projects and the potential environmental impacts that may result. In fact, the companies that are seeking to do mechanized mining need to receive special permits from local authorities; and in Sri Lanka permits for these methods are given only under strict conditions, and often requires the support of locals in the areas that have been selected for such mining projects.

Artisanal (Small-Scale) Mining

Arguably the most popular and characteristic mining practice in the island nation. As the name implies artisanal mining is a method that is undertaken by a small group of miners, often locals from the area; which usually involves owners of plots of land in gem-rich regions, organizing into a small team. Who then proceed to develop the area around a designated sapphire source. This process can take different forms, depending on the type of mine in question. One common method is surface-level mining, known in the local tongue as “goda illama”. As the name indicates this method of mining for sapphires takes places no further than 1-2 meters from the Earth’s surface. This process needs less effort, with little investment in terms of infrastructure and manpower. However, the trick lies incorrectly identifying a potential gem source.

Open Cast & Simple Cast Mining

A method that is used when the potential source of gems are localized at a deeper level under the Earth’s surface. This means the topsoil is removed for about a few meters, via manual means or thorough dedicated, but small machinery. This is a slightly bigger process, but once again the land area surrounding it is carefully managed to avoid environmental harm. Simple cast mining however is a larger process, which seeks to excavate gems that are found at deeper depths: at times over 20 meters. For this, dedicated areas dug up, with makeshift planks and pillars set up to support a make-shift shaft mine. Which the workers then use to tunnel into the deep “yati illama”, where the stones, mixed with water and gravel are found. These mines might even extend horizontally, which involves a larger investment. Also, it is worth mentioning that the resources used to build many of these make-shift infrastructures are often sourced from the surrounding area, with trees, branches, and leaves used.

_{Illam Collection, Washing, and sorting gravel in small mine in Ceylon}

_{miners prepare their meals in this small kitchen in the corner of the camp}

Ratnapura: And the Mining Culture of Ceylon

When it comes to understanding the mining story in Ceylon, it is best to understand the broader social context within which this practice takes place. And there is no better place that reflects this than the city of Ratnapura. When it comes to sapphire mining in the island nation, this is the place that stands out as the centre of, not only the sourcing and mining of sapphires but also its treatment and trade. Sapphire mining in this part of the world is closely woven into the local culture, for as a country, and in this case, a town, that is set in a gem rich region, Ratnapura has built itself a reputation for being not just “a city of gems” as it is referred to; but also as a place that captures the culture that has come to define the unique character of sapphire mining in Ceylon.

An Environmentally Conscious Mining Process

In an era where the ethics of mining and the gem trade have come under increasing scrutiny, where the need for environmental conservation, and the need for commercial practices that need to meet high standards when it comes to protecting the natural world; one make be glad to know that Ceylon is country that scores strongly in this area. With the city of Ratnapura and the wider regions around it, where the gems are mined, treated and sourced, embodying most strongly the ethical character of the trade in this part of the world. So in what way is the mining process in Ratnapura different, in terms of its ethical character? As noted, the mining process in Ratnapura is a part of the wider culture, and here it is important to understand what is meant by the culture of the region. In Ratnapura, the heart of the gem trade in Ceylon, virtually the entire process takes place within the local area. Ratnapura is an expansive town, with nearby villages, that come blessed with farming land, and paddy fields. So it is, typical to the wet region of the country, that the mines and local gem businesses be surrounded by the natural environment. Hence, the connection between the natural world and the industry at large is a natural one.

What is different about the mining practices in this region is that there is deep awareness among the locals of the importance of the natural environment. For one must understand that gem mining is invariably a localized process, with the key stakeholders, who are involved in virtually all aspects of the process, often come from the local region. From the miners, the owners of the land where the gems are mined, the workers who do the hard work; the gem merchants who are seeking quality gems, to other stakeholders, like jewellers. Are all often directly or indirectly connected with the local region. Further, stakeholders in the gem trade who are not native to the region, are often aware of the character of the gem trade, and their practices invariably reflect the sentiments that govern the localized practice. Here we will look at some of the key factors that define the ethical character of sapphire mining in Ceylon, represented by the city of gems: Ratnapura.

Conservation of Nature and Mining: A Connected Process.

It is interesting to know that the mines from which sapphires are mined in this part of the world are often not too far away from the natural environment. Which involves wildlife and arable lands, which are used for agricultural produce. Given this close proximity between nature and industry, along with the strong environmental and social consciousness felt by those who are involved in the field, it is understandable why protecting the natural environment and the mining of top-quality gems go hand in hand.

Sapphire Mining and Worker Well-being

A closely connected aspect of mining ethics is the treatment of those who are employed in the trade. Those who have followed development in the gem trade would likely be aware of the realities of conflict minerals, and most notably the evils of blood diamonds. A problem that particularly affects the reality of carbon-based precious stones. However the dangers of conflict minerals: where the profits made via the trade in gems and other economically valuable natural earth-based resources are used to fund conflicts, usually in unstable parts of the world. Further conflict minerals also relate to the mining of precious stones and other valuable minerals in precarious and often hazardous conditions: where the health and well-being of those who are employed in the trade-where some times the persons tend to be minors and women, some of who have been forced into labour or are doing so out of desperation.

When it comes to the trade of sapphires, and other gems in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), the reality is very much the opposite. Sri Lanka is a country that places tremendous emphasis on protecting the environment. A state of mind that flows into its attitude towards those who are tasked with working on it. When it comes to worker rights, as noted many of those who are employed in the trade tend to be from the local region. This is especially true for the labourers who are employed in the difficult process of digging, excavating the gems from makeshift mines, that run deep into the ground. As noted earlier, the mines themselves are made using materials from the natural environment-a tough process. And the need for maintaining an environmentally conscious process also means some sacrifices are made when it comes to worker comfort. And at times for an outsider looking in, it might seem that the men who work these mines, going for meeters underground are putting themselves in hazardous conditions, without adequate gear etc. Whilst this may seem so, one must understand that mining is a deeply local process. The workers: from miners, the landowners, the gem merchants understand this region and the practice well; and despite the apparent harshness of the external conditions, the familiarity of the environment and the make-shift infrastructure, which the workers themselves built, means that the process is understood end to end. Just as sapphire mining in Ceylon goes from a mine to market process: with all ends covered, the workers know the ins and out of their work.

Further, given the closeness of the mines, the miners, and the wider society, there is a sense of community that naturally develops. Workers are not treated as mere employees but as members of a community that are also key stakeholders in the trade. With the provision of food and a place and time for rest, workers, in addition to their compensation, are also rewarded if their work produces saleable gemstones. So this is a part of the story of Sapphire mining in Ceylon. More could be said, but we hope that this picture makes things clearer on the story of Ceylon Sapphires.