A massive emerald crystal was unearthed in the world’s largest emerald mine in Zambia in early October. Geologist Debapriya Rakshit and experienced miner Richard Kapeta uncovered the impressive 5,655-carat emerald inside the largest open-pit mine in Kagem, which is partially owned by Gemfields — a London-based mining company. The gemstones inside the mine reportedly formed hundreds of millions of years ago.
The 5,655-carat Zambian emerald crystal has “remarkable clarity and a perfectly balanced golden green hue,” Gemfields described in a Monday news release. It was spotted on Oct. 2 in the eastern part of the Kagem mine, where a team of miners has found luck in the past few months.
“This area of the mine has proven to be particularly fertile in recent months with the Kagem team recovering several significant crystals there, but none with the combined size, color and clarity of the Lion Emerald,” the mining company said.
Elena Basaglia, a Gemfields gemmologist, called the discovery an “important find” for the emerald world.
“We are experiencing strikingly increased demand for high-quality Zambian emeralds from the major brands, particularly in Europe, all of whom admire the rich color and unique transparency of our gems — qualities that make them unique among emeralds,” Basaglia said in an online statement.
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