In between swimming and surfing , we explored the neighborhood in search of a variety of interesting and eventually ran the factory for the extraction and processing of precious stones. So today we look a long way from stone to mud pits refined ornaments on the necks, fingers and other human limbs.
1Sri Lanka is known to us as a country of tea, but grow it here not so long ago — just since the beginning of the XIX-th century. But the mining of precious stones began here much earlier, at the same time for this technology is almost unchanged. By the way, St. Edward's blue sapphire that adorns the crown of the British Empire Cross — Britain's most famous public regalia, it was found in the depths of Sri Lanka.
Exports of precious stones is a significant section of the state budget of Sri Lanka and is around 5% of GDP. The island produce yellow and star sapphires, amethyst, alexandrite, garnet, topaz, zircon, spinel and moonstone. But Backstage "king" among all this variety are blue sapphire.
Extraction involved both private and public organizations. We visited one of the state factories, but no better than private traders. Buy a license to mine the stones can be anyone. This pleasure will cost you $5,000 annually. Then dig a cistern in the garden and voila — you are the owner of the mine for the extraction of precious stones:
2The entrance to the mine resembles the well walls are reinforced palm logs. With the charms of civilization here only pump that pumps water shaft.
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After the miners took their jobs on a rope is fed lamp that illuminates well. Its depth can reach 30 meters, and the length of follow-dug tunnels — a few hundred meters.
5With shovels and hands clay poured in buckets, baskets and all sorts of other containers, which are then raised to the surface for cleaning:
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During this exciting process, including gravel and other stones, and sometimes there is something precious. But for the most part is not, sometimes for several months.
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Then the stones pass for processing or sent to market. Very often miners are only a commission on sales that make up about 2%. Raw stones is inexpensive, so near each mine is the "factory". Or rather — each "factory" is their mines.
To the left of the entrance to the basin with water marynuyutsya small stones:
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On one stone spent 5-6 hours. After lengthy procedure already get real gem that is completely different money:
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Each category has its own goldsmith, and he makes the products respective complexity. Judging from the awards, the gold chain that Sri Lankans can trust the most difficult work:
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Cost stone is often determined by the system 4Si: color, quality, and ohranuvannya karatnist (weight). English is four words beginning with the letter "C". The stones weighed on special scales:
37Knowing the weight of the stone, the purity and approximate price per carat can estimate the future price:
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If you accidentally zayiknetesya the desire to buy a bit of luxury, you will be put on a special table and will display the entire range of the store, and then another long pidbyratymut size, color and stone:
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