Natural occurrence of gems

Agate: India (moss agate), Brazil, Madagascar, Australia, Uruguay, Iceland, U.S.A. (one of the varieties of onyx), Botswana and South Africa.

Amber: Southern coast of the Baltic sea, U.S.S.R., Eastern coast of England, French Riviera, Sicily, Rumania, Burma, Dominica, Canada and Mexico.

Andalusite: Comes from Brazil and Sri Lanka another variety occurs in Australia, Bolivia and the U.S.A. (South Dakota).

Amethyst: Canada, Brazil, USSR, Uruguay, Mexico, Australia, Tanzania, Rhodesia, India, Sri Lanka, Madgascar, USA (South Carolina, Maina, New York, Texas & Virginia) and Somalia.

Aquamarine: Burma, USA (Idaho, North Carolina), India Kenya, Namibia, USSR, Madagascar, Brazil, Somalia and Pakistan.

Adventurine Quartz: China, India, Brazil, USSR and USA.

Alexandrite: Sri Lanka, USSR, Nigeria, Burma.

Coral: Japan, Malaysia, Algeria, USA (Hawaii) and South Africa.

Chrysoberyl (Brysolite, Cat's Eye and Alexandrite): USSR, South Africa, Burma, Brazil, Sri Lanka and India.

Cat's Eye, Quartz or Hawk's Eye: Sri Lanka and India.

Chalcedony (Crypto-crystalline Quartzes) India, Mexico, Uruguay, Brazil, South Namibia, West Africa and South Australia.

Diamond: The hardest and much valued stone occurs in South Africa, Namibia, USSR, Angola, South West Africa, Zaire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Botswana, Venezuela, Central African Republic, Tanzania, Ghana, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Guyana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Lesotho, People's Republic of China, Australia, Nigeria, USA and Canada.

Diopside: Dark green from India and Madagascar, pale green from Burma, chrome diopside from Finland, another variety from Italy, Kenya, South Africa, Zaire, USA (New York), USSR and Mexico.

Emerald: A member of the Beryl group, Emerald in finest quality comes from Muzo mine in Colombia. Emeralds also occur in India, Brazil, Australia, North Urals, Norway, Austria, South Africa, Rhodesia, Pakistan, Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia and USA (North Carolina). Somalia and Ethiopia are the latest producers.

Garnet: This group comprises - Pyrope, Alamandine or Rhodolite, Grossularite, Spesartite, Hessonite, Uvarovite, Adradite and Demanroip. They are found in India, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Tanzania, Burma, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Mexico, USSR, Italy, Switzerland, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Canada, USA (Virginia, Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, North Carolina, Vermont).

Iolite: Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania and Burma.

Jasper: Japan, Mexico, Egypt, India, USA, Uruguay, Brazil, Madagascar, South Africa and Australia.

Jade : Of the group called, Jade Minerals "Jadeite' is the only stone suitable for Jewellery. The only source for gem quality jadeite is upper Burma. It is often called 'Chinese Jade' as distinct from New Zealand Jade which means Nephrite. Yunnan (South China), Tibet, Mexico, Japan yield other verities, Nephrite, occurring more extensively is found in New Zealand, USA (Washington), Canada, China, Taiwan, USSR and Australia.

Lapis Lazuli: Best quality Badakshan, Afganistan, inferior qualities, Chilean Andes, Area west of Lake Baikal, Siberia (USSR), Australia, Pakistan, USA, Turkey and Canada.

Moonstone: India, Sri Lanka and USA, (New Mexico, New York, Virginia).

Opal: Chief Opal fields for precious opals are in New South Wales and Queenland, Australia, (which celebrated 1994 as the year of the Opal), Czechoslovakia, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, Common varieties occur in many places including USA (Idaho, Nevada, Mexico). The latest opal producer is Ethiopia.

Other Beryls: Besides Emeralds, Beryls form a colourful group of gemstones. The group comprises white beryl, aquamarine, yellow and green beryl, pink beryl and star beryl. They occur in Brazil, USSR, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, India, Rhodesia, South West Africa (radio-active variety) and Mozambique.

Pearl: Japan, China, Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand.

Peridot: Sri Lanka, Burma, Norway, Greenland, New Mexico, USA (Hawaii, Arizona) Italy and Ethiopia. Peridot ahs also been found in meteorites.

Quartz (Colorless variety Rock Crystal): Occurs in India, USA, Mexico, USSR, Brazil, Madagascar, Japan, Uruguay, South Africa, Austria and lately Somalia.

Ruby: The red corundum is among the most valuable gems. It is found in Myanmar (Burma), India, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. In ancient times Afghanistan was the main source. Cambodia, Australia, Pakistan, Kenya Mozambique, Sierre Leone, USA (North Carolina), China and Vietnam as well as Mong Hsu (Myanmar) the latest sources of fine ruby.

Rose Quartz: Brazil, Madagascar, Japan and India.

Rhodolite: Australia, USA (Colorado Alaska), Canada, USSR and South Africa, Rhodolite-Garnet was discovered recently in Ethopia.

Rhodochrosite: USA (Colorado), South America and Namibia.

Star Ruby: Star variety of Ruby occurs in India. Other Star rubies come from Sri Lanka. the latest producer is Sierra Leone.

Sapphire: Another variety of gem corundum. Best quality is found in Kashmir (India), Northern Pakistan. It is also found in Burma, Australia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Tanzania, Finnish Lapland, South India, Northwest Kenya and USA (North Carolina, Montana).

Star Sapphire: Burmese are the best, though rare. Sri Lanka produces the star variety. India also produces commercial quality star sapphires.

Sodalite (It also occurs as a component of Lapis Lazuli): By itself, it is found in Brazil, Africa, Canada and the Lava of Vesuvious, Namibia and Canada.

Smoky Quartz and Citrine (Spodumene): madagascar, Brazil and USA (North Carolina, California, South Dakota).

Serpentine: Out of three varieties, the gem quality Bomonite, a jade like material, occurs in Afghanistan, India, USA, Madagascar.

Spinel: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma and Afghanistan.

Turquoise: Nishabur and Kuh-e-Raies Mountain in Iran, Afghanistan, China, Tibet, USSR, Australia, Sinai Peninsula and USA, (Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico)

Topaz: Sri Lanka, USSR, Brazil, Madagascar, Mexico, Nepal, Afghanistan, Namibia, Zimbabwe, USA (Carolina, Colorado, New Hampshire and Texas).

Tiger's Eye Quartz: South Africa

Tourmaline: Sri Lanka, USA (California, Maine) USSR, Brazil, Madagascar, South West Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, UK Rhodesia, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Namibia and Mexico.

Zircon: Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Burma, Australia, France and Kenya.