corundum, sapphire, geology.11, East Africa.12, Kenya.12, gems

A new sapphire deposit has been discovered in Kenya's Turkana Province. Transparent dark blue and greenish blue sapphires, as well as star sapphires are now available in the gem market. Heat-treatment experiments have produced fine medium-blue sapphires, reminiscent of their Thai and Kampuchean counterparts. This article resulted from the author's experiments, his detailed examination of the material and a personal visit to the area in November, 1988. An appendix discusses the typcal inclusions of this material.