Editor’s Note
This article reports the discovery of a significant 300 kg emerald block at the Ambohitsorohitra Presidential Palace, as announced by the Minister of Mines.
An emerald block on matrix weighing approximately 300 kg has been discovered at the Ambohitsorohitra Presidential Palace.
According to the Minister of Mines, Carl Andriamparany, interviewed yesterday on TVM, this mineral treasure had been concealed in a secret room of the Palace since 2009, with no initiative taken to have it appraised or exploited. This revelation has sparked curiosity, astonishment, and questions about its exact origin and the reasons it remained untouched for so many years.
Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, president of the Refondation, personally visited Iavoloha to verify the facts. According to him, the state is considering selling this stone to replenish the public treasury and support actions for the population. Classified as a “collector’s stone,” the emerald could attract international collectors and investors, hinting at a large-scale sale, according to the Minister of Mines.
The authorities plan a technical appraisal to evaluate the gemological quality of the stone, its degree of purity, and its cutting potential. A financial evaluation will be conducted to estimate its real value on the international market.
In the wake of this discovery, a political element has enriched the debate: a close collaborator of former president Andry Rajoelina stated that neither he nor his predecessor Hery Rajaonarimampianina wished to sell this collector’s stone. In other words, the presence of this stone at Ambohitsorohitra dates back several years, perhaps even to an earlier period, possibly under the regime of Marc Ravalomanana.