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Aquamarine is one of the most successful semi-precious stones. The 20 Hours teams went to the Zimbabwe, in a mine that only hires women.
Crystal blue or azure, aquamarine is a very popular semi-precious stone in France. But before arriving in the French shops, you have to go to Zimbabwe to understand how it is produced. In one of the deposits, in the north of the country, a mine employs exclusively women. “A lot of people thought that I would not make it, that I would give up, but they see it well now: I am still here”, tells one of them.
However, some days you have to resort to dynamite to find aquamarines. Finding it arouses a lot of pride for the workers, who will receive 170 euros at the end of the month, a good salary in the region. “Thanks to this salary, I can finally take care of my children. Pay for school, uniforms, soap and give them enough to eat”, explains one of them. 60% of the stones found in this mine will then be exported to Asia and Europe. The rest go to the capital, where the stones are polished. The bluer a stone, the more expensive it is.
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