Madagascar

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The Archean crystalline area in Madagascar is rich in granite pegmatites and is a traditional supplier of gem beryl, tourmaline, and, to a lesser degree, topaz and kunzite to world markets. The delicate peach-pink colour of morganite is especially highly prized and is considered as the best in the world.

The Madagascar pegmatites are subdivided into the rare-metal pegmatites, muscovite-beryl pegmatites with niobo-tantalites; sodium-lithium pegmatites with spodumene, amblygonite, and lepidolite; and rare-earth pegmatites (including rare earth-uranium and monazite), which are distributed in more or less isolated pegmatite fields (Beus and Gerasimovsky, 1983)

Gem beryl and other gemstones are mined mainly from miarolitic pegmatites on the High Plateau north and southwest of the town of Antananarivo in the central part of the island.

Very high quality aquamarines are found among the Madagascar stones. They are transparent with a wide range of colours from bluish green to azurite and deep dark blue to almost black. Pleochroism can be very strong and, as in cordierite, changes from dark blue to pale blue and almost colourless. Density is 2.73 - 2.77 g/cm³. Thin channels parallel to the long axis of the crystal, which create a "rain effect", are rather typical.

Ref: E.Ya. Kievlenko, Geology of gems, 2003, p. 110 - 112

Gemstone List

Gem list contains entries from all listed localities in region.

Ammolite Andalusite Apatite Beryl var: Aquamarine var: Emerald var: Heliodor var: Morganite Celestine Chrysoberyl var: Alexandrite Cordierite Corundum var: Ruby var: Sapphire var: Star Ruby Danburite Dumortierite Feldspar var: Amazonite

Feldspar var: Bytownite var: Labradorite var: Moonstone var: Oligoclase var: Orthoclase var: Sanidine Fluorite Garnet Group var: Almandine var: Andradite var: Demantoid var: Hessonite var: Pyrope var: Pyrope-Spessartine var: Rhodolite var: Spessartine var: Tsavorite Grandidierite Hambergite

Kornerupine Kyanite Lazulite Londonite Magnetite Monazite Opal var: Fire Opal Pezzottaite Phenakite Quartz var: Amethyst var: Bloodstone var: Carnelian var: Citrine var: Jasper var: Orbicular Jasper var: Rose Quartz var: Smoky Quartz Rhodizite

Sapphirine Scapolite Sillimanite Spinel var: Pleonaste Spodumene var: Kunzite Staurolite Titanite Topaz Tourmaline var: Elbaite var: Liddicoatite var: Rubellite var: Schorl Vesuvianite Yttrium Aluminium Garnet Zircon

Localities in this Region

Madagascar Alaotra-Mangoro Ambatondrazaka District Ambatosoratra Commune Maromby pegmatite (Andreba) Star garnet locality Ambohitsilaozana Ambolotarabe Deposit (Nickelville) Ampanorana East Didy Didy ruby deposit Lac Alaotra Chrysoberyl Pegmatites Andilamena District Andranotokana Massif Andilamena Quartz Quarries Lake Alaotra Amoron'i Mania Ambositra Tsimanahy Analamanga Ankazobe District Ambolotarakely Miakanjovato pegmatite Tsarasaotra pegmatite (Tsaratsaotra pegmatite) Antaniditra Antsahalava pegmatite Tsaramasoandro Ankazotsifantatra pegmatite Bevony Manjakandriana Analanjirofo Fenoarivo Atsinanana Saranambana Andilamena ruby deposit Anosy Amboasary Sud District Maromby Andranondambo phlogopite deposit Andranondambo sapphire deposits Tranomaro Anjahamiary pegmatite Betroka District Ianabinda Iankaroka corundum occurrence Voronkafotra (Vorokafotra; Vohidava mine) Isoanala Ambatomena ruby deposit Mahasoa Est Benono Itrongay (Itrongahy) Taolagnaro District Andranobory Cap Andrahomana Atsimo-Andrefana Ampanihy District Ejeda Ejeda-Fotadrevo corundum deposits Gogogogo Gogogogo Vohitany Vohitany corundum deposits Benenitra District Ianapera Ianapera emerald deposit (Sakalava) Betioky District Atsimo-Atsinanana Isahara Pegmatite Field Midongy Atsimo Marosely sapphire deposit Vangaindrano Vangaindrano pegmatites Atsinanana Vatomandry District Vatomandry Commune Vatomandry ruby deposit Betsiboka Tsaratanàna District Ambakireny Mahabé-South pegmatite Andriamena Commune Bekapaika Commune Ambatoharanana Ambony pegmatite (South) Analila pegmatite Antsakoa I pegmatite Antsakoa II pegmatite Befilao I Berere Pegmatite Field Pegmatite near Mahajamba River Manakana Commune Ambatoharanana pegmatite (Androfia) Diana Ambanja Antsakoamanondro Antetezambato Demantoid-Topazolite Mine Ambilobe Antsiranana II District Ambondromifehy sapphire deposit

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