Lotus Gemology's E. Billie Hughes looks at the important sapphire producing localities in Madagascar, along with the key gemological features that can help separate them from other sapphire sources.

Madagascar: Sapphire Isle

Lotus Gemology's E. Billie Hughes

Over the past 25 years, no country in the world has produced as much fine sapphire as Madagascar. And yet this island's gems are still relatively unknown. In this presentation, E. Billie Hughes discusses the most important deposits from the deep south in Andranondambo, through the huge Ilakaka mining district and the wild jungle mines at Andrebabe and Moramanga (a.k.a. Sierra Leone). The lecture also covers the gemology of Madagascar sapphire and ruby, including the most important identifying features, and results from a series of experiments on the heat treatment of Madagascar sapphire.

When
Thursday 6 February 2020

Where
AGTA GemFair Tucson
Tucson Convention Center
Graham Room, 1:00–2:00 PM
Note: This lecture is open to the public