Editor’s Note
This article reports on the discovery of a remarkable 5,655-carat rough emerald in Zambia, announced by the gemstone mining company Gemfields.
A 1.1-kilogram, 5,655-carat rough emerald has been discovered at a mine in Zambia, southern Africa.
The discovery was announced on the 29th by Gemfields, a UK-based company involved in the mining, processing, and sale of Zambian emeralds.
The stone was found on the 2nd of this month by two of the company’s geologists at the Kagem mine, owned by Gemfields. It is characterized by its transparency and golden-green hue, which are considered the hallmark features of Zambian emeralds.
The emerald has been named “Inkalamu,” which means “lion” in a local language. It will be cut into several pieces and auctioned in Singapore next month.
Zambia, along with Colombia and Brazil in South America, is famous as a source of emeralds worldwide. According to Gemfields’ experts, demand for high-quality Zambian emeralds has been rising recently, particularly among major brands in Europe and elsewhere.
This is the second-largest rough emerald to come from the company’s mines, following a 6,225-carat stone named “Elephant” in a local language, which was discovered in 2010.