Emerald

Muzo mine, Muzo Municipality, Western Boyacá Province, Boyacá Department, Colombia

2,5×2,5×2,4 cm.

The Emerald is one of the most sought-after minerals in the world by collectors. The specimens available on the market are few, often very expensive, small, and of medium to low quality. This cluster displeys a multi-stepped crystallized emerald of excellent shape and luster, with generous size and an outstanding green color.

Emeralds are a variety of Beryl, a mineral composed of beryllium, aluminum, and silicate. Beryl can occur in a range of colors, including green, blue, pink, and yellow, but it is the presence of chromium and vanadium that imparts the distinctive green color to emeralds. The name comes indirectly from the Greek “smaragdos”, a name that seems to have been given to a number of stones having little in common except a green colour. Emeralds have been valued since ancient times, with notable origins in Egypt, where they were mined as early as 1500 BC. Cleopatra, the famous Egyptian queen, was particularly known for her love of emeralds, which were considered symbols of eternal youth and were used in her royal adornments.

The geological surroundings of the colombian Emerald mines mostly consist of sedimentary rocks such as shale and limestone, including some minor igneous and metamorphic rocks as well as other minerals. Emeralds typically form in areas with high pressure and high temperature conditions. They can be found in various locations worldwide, including Colombia, Zambia, Brazil, and Madagascar. However, the most well-known source of emeralds is Colombia, which is home to some of the most beautiful and precious emeralds in the world.

There are several major emerald mines scattered around the Boyacá department, with the majority located to the northwest near the Muzo district. These mines are exclusively used for emerald extraction. The region features challenging terrain, including hot climates, dense jungles, rivers, and large mountainous valleys, making exploration quite difficult. The Chivor mine is situated roughly 75 km slightly northeast of Bogotà, at an elevation of about 2300m above sea level.