EMERALD MINE I N V E S T M E N T ---- C E N T R E
Index Page		Summary	The Project	Investment	Returns
	The Manager	Photo Album	FAQ	General Info	Links Page
.	Geological
General Ndola Emerald Area		Geological Report - Plot 5G		Geological survey - Plot 5G

The four plots marked in RED are our concern.
The plot in the middle with the red circle is plot 5G - first to develop.

The map is the current title map provided by the Dept. Of Mines, colour coded to portray relative amount of exploitation which has occurred.

• All blue coded plots are presently producing.
• Blue outlined plots are holding or held mining licences in the past.
• A prospecting licence was once held on all plots coloured violet.
• No prospecting or mining licence has ever been applied for by the owners of yellow plots.
• No applicant holds/has ever held title to the uncoloured plots.

PIRALLA AREA PRODUCTION:

Emeralds are part of the BERYL group of minerals. The beryls found in this area are: emerald, aquamarine, green / precious beryl and beryl. What sets the emerald apart from the other beryls are quality and colour. Emeralds are green, caused by slight presence of vanadium, chrome and or iron. Emeralds from Columbia has a bluish tint in them, from Zambia the tint may be anything from bluish to yellowish, but very clean (strong) green colour are often found in the latest products. When an emerald quality is low grade, or the colour not green enough it is clasified as beryl only. On average 35% of the total production in this area is of gemstone quality, 65% lower quality and industrial. This might also be due to the fact that real low quality emeralds and beryl are not even reclaimed at all but dumped with the waist.

PRODUCTION FROM MINES CLOSE TO PLOT 5G:
Most of the mine are not operational during the rainy season from November to March. During this period rain of up to 1,200 mm falls and makes it difficult and dangerous for vehicles to move around the pits. From my perspective, this will be the time to work through the overburden that was not checked during the excavation time and to prepare the new pits for the coming year. Many of the emerald mines are closed during the period November to April.

Plot 13, Gentina mine, second plot west of Plot 5G (also from third plot South)
Operated only for about six months during 1997, only one 50 ton excavator available, no bulldozer or any trucks. Produced 1,950 kg.

Plot 5K, second plot east of 5G, small 20 ha
Small scale mining with hand tools only and operating for three months - 225 kg for 1997

Kamakanga, second / third plot North of Plot 5G
One of five larger mechanised mines. During 1997 was operating on another property further north, but worked at Kamakanga for 6 months during 1996 and produced 2,450 kg. They have just begun mining this plot again.

Piralla, second plot North east of Plot 5G
One of five larger mechanised mines. Averaged 30 kg of emeralds per 380 tons of ore during the past two weeks with lateral mining at about 35 metres. The larger portion of these emeralds were of super grade( A+ & A). Info supplied by one of their managers present with Mr Shaba in the office.

Total operating mines (active):     23
of above, mechanised:                 15
Open cast mining:                        23
Underground mining:                   00   (Kagem is presently the only mine considering it)

GENERAL:
The following indicators are ascertained by ESMAZ and Rosmo Mining Consultants in Lusaka, tel no: (09-260-1)
24-0237. This data is applicable to the Piralla region (immediate vicinity of Plot 5G):

• down to depth of 5 to 9 metres - 50 to 100 tons of ore to produce 1 kg fair quality emeralds (grade B, C & D), 300 to 800 kg low grade crystals.
• depth of 10 to 20 metres - 25 to 50 tons ore per kg emerald, some high quality. Mainly hand orientated mining, or with small machines.
• - depth of 20+ metres - 10 to 40 tons ore per kg emerald. When on a strike and lateral mining it will depend on the depth, but on average 10 tons per kg. The larger portion of this product is in the gemstone quality range (A-B).

EMERALD: (the nice green variety of Beryl) Of the 35% jewellery grade:
3% top grade A+ (65+ points), prices above US$500 per carat (Zambia rates the higest in the world at present. Colombia is 2.2% and Zambia is 2.9%)
37% gemstone quality (A, B+, B or 25 to 65 points), prices from $20 to $500 per carat
60% lower grade (C or -25 points), prices from $1 to $20 per gram

AQUAMARINE: (Blue variety of Beryl) Of the jewelry grade (double sky blue, gemmy, clear, glass like)
Aquamarines are found more to the western side of the emerald area.
5% top grade obtaining prices in excess of $20 per gram
15% good jewellery grade prices between $2 and $20 per gram
80% average gem quality getting prices between $0-50 and $2-00 per gram

BERYL: The rest of the beryl group.
3% Gemstone quality with prices from $0-50 to $5-00 per gram
7% treatable stones, fair quality obtaining prices of $100 to $500 per Kg
90% lower quality beryl, prices from $5 to $100 per Kg.

In the Piralla area about 45% of all the jewellery grade gemstones found are emeralds, 8% Aquamarines, 15% other beryl, 30% of the quartz family and 1% tourmalines.

[Index Page] [Summary] [The Project] [Investment] [Returns] [Geological] [Geology - Ndola]
[Geological - Plot 5G] [Geological - Survey] [The Manager] [Photo Album] [FAQ] [ General Info][Links Page]

(C) Copyright C Lamprecht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tel: +27 11 486-1365
E-MAIL: emeraldmine@hotmail.com . . . . . . . .Last Updated: 12 June 1998