corundum, Mozambique.12, gems

23 March 2015—In the autumn of 2007, I spent a month in East Africa, visiting gem dealers and mines in Kenya and Tanzania. The principle aim was to explore the sapphire mines of southern Tanzania at Songea and Tunduru and the spinel mines of Mahenge (described in Downtown) for an updated edition of my book, Ruby & Sapphire, but my team also visited the tanzanite mines at Merelani (detailed in Working the Blueseam). While in southern Tanzania's Tunduru district, we witnessed a number of miners crossing the Muhuwesi river that separates Tanzania from Mozambique. Just a few short months later, it became clear why. Ruby had been discovered in Mozambique. Flash forward to 2009. My close friend, Vincent Pardieu, who I had asked to join me on the 2007 journey, was now working as the GIA's first field gemologist. His job? Hunt down ruby and sapphire, wherever it might be found.