A lot of people wonder: “How are gemstones mined?” They have always been curious about how the process works. Most people assume that rocks are solid, inorganic substances made up of minerals. The truth is that they’re not, but they are solid nonetheless. A rock comprises one or more minerals that have a general chemical composition but no atomic structure. Some of these minerals are not natural, so they’re made into rocks. Like those that come from plants or animals, other gems are mined through methods other than mining.
Even though mining methods can’t mine gemstones, some gemstones can be recovered using other methods. Wet digging, also known as panning, involves collecting gemstones by washing river sediment. This method involves filling a large pan with water and shaking it to settle heavier material to the bottom. The lighter material is washed over the top. Once the heavy materials are separated, they’re scooped out. These steps are repeated until the stone has only a tablespoon of gems in it.
Gemstones are mined from the earth’s crust and mantle. Their origin lies deep in the earth. They are derived from molten magma and are then formed in the crust. After mining, they’re cleaned at a lapidary and polished to create jewelry. These stones can then be fashioned into various shapes and sizes and are marketed as gems or jewels. Of course, the gemstone cutting procedure is highly complex and almost lottery alike since gemstones can hide their inner content with their crust.
Some people are passionate about the mined stones and the process. For example, the famous Arkansas Diamond is found in the Ruggles mine in the American southwest. The gemstones from this mine can be sold for much higher prices than those from other mines. In the United States, there are about a hundred commercial mines for colored stones. Most of these mines are small and have few employees. However, the employment of these people is estimated to be between 1200 and 1500.
A gem is a gem if it has been cut and polished. The mining process can be very dangerous and can lead to child labor. Most countries have laws to prevent child labor. Regardless, children are still exploited in the process of mining. It’s important to know about these laws and make sure that there are no policies to protect them. The ILO has documented cases of child labor in mines.
Besides the mines, the other types of gemstones are also mined. Amber is mined by pit mining, while the Baltic sea collects the pearl. Emeralds, on the other hand, are collected by divers. Whether they’re produced in India or Africa, the process is the same for all. Due to this fact usually, jewelers use conflict-free gemstones and we should mention one of them that does that superbly. We of course are talking about Aurelius Jewelry which uses all gemstones and diamonds that are conflict-free.There are no exceptions to the rules, and the industry is constantly evolving. It’s a global business and one that has to abide by them.