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Video duration: 5 min
Sri Lanka: sapphire, a jewel that brings in a lot
Sri Lanka: sapphire, a jewel that brings in a lot
(France 2)
Sri Lanka perpetuates an age-old tradition of searching for precious stones, particularly sapphire. A market which brings in a lot of money, but which has a human cost, that of the work of minors.
Sapphire is a precious stone that fascinates, and which also generates a lot of money, with its blue, green or pink hues. It is found in the muddy depths of Sri Lankan basements, and is sold in a few minutes on the street, for millions of dollars. In the Ratnapora region, which means “city of precious stones”, men have been descending into the sapphire mines for centuries. In the heat and humidity, they dig and fill bags with mud. “There’s a lack of oxygen”explains a minor.
“Finding a sapphire gemstone is extremely rare”
In Sri Lanka, the mines are all artisanal and in the hands of private owners. “Finding a sapphire gemstone is extremely rare”, assures Yasser Farook, director of Farook Gems, a sapphire exploitation. And to motivate the troops, this owner is counting on “their hope” to come across a gem.
