Searching for the Big Five gems at Mapatiza Mine in Kyalami Posted on 11 January 2012 Tags:Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia The Big Five gemstones are diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby and tanzanite. We went in search of them at the Mapatiza Gemstone Mine Tour in Kyalami. As you arrive you can feel the ‘spirits’ lifting from these precious rocks. There was aquamarine, agate, carnelian, jasper, onyx, crystal quartz, rose quartz, fluorite, lapis lazuli, obsidian, and South Africa’s very own tiger’s eye to name a few. They each had their own characteristics, shapes and powers. The Mapatiza Mine, meaning ‘place of hard stone’, is not actually a mine but a replica of an amethyst mine in Zambia. We were lead underground and shown the vein which indicates the precious stone route. We laughed at Joseph, the tour guide, when he told us that an amethyst in a person’s pocket while drinking alcohol prevents drunkenness. However, I had felt the powers of these rocks. I also purchased the healing stone based on my birthstone, a rose quartz, which brings calmness and clarity to the emotional state and helps release muscular cramping. After learning about the cobbling, sorting, cleaning and of course the mining of the stones, we were given a small bag of stones labelled ‘I went down’. We then viewed the artistic creations from the raw materials at Gecko Jewellers. The shop, situated at the mine, is well organised and an education of precious stones in its own way. There is variety of jewellery which ranges from expensive accessories to fun pendants under R100. My favourite were those made from tanzanite, which is rarer than diamond. This is because there is only one place and one mine in the world; which is in Africa, in Tanzania. The experience had to include my own mining, or rather digging, in the Scratch Patch. As I scratched, I caressed the stones feeling their energy in my fingers. The gems sparkled and glittered in their authentic, natural form unlike the bling-bling found in the shops. The day ended with delicious milkshakes at the tea garden and I decided to return when the Saturday Farmer’s market is established, which is opening at the end of January 2012. Cost Adults R40 Pensioners R30 Children R30 Mine Tour Operating Hours Tues to Sat 08h00 – 16h00 Sun & Public Holidays 09h00 – 13h00 Contact Details 52 Mercury Ave, Crowthorne, Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Tel 011-468-1467 Fax 011-468-1569 Email: [email protected] Related Posts Lion cub petting and why it’s harmful 3 March 2020 In recent years, people have become more aware of the concerns around taking lion (and... read more The dark side of animal interactions: How to do your part 8 January 2020 Interacting with wild animals can be a magical experience. However, many countries have been cashing... read more Understanding green tourism, ecotourism and sustainable tourism 5 February 2019 With the rise of green, eco and sustainable tourism, being environmentally-conscious has become a practice... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
Lion cub petting and why it’s harmful 3 March 2020 In recent years, people have become more aware of the concerns around taking lion (and... read more
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