Not only is Namibia home to one of the richest alluvial diamond fields in the world, it’s also endowed with large quantities of high-grade semi-precious stones. The first topaz was discovered at the end of the 19th century near Spitzkoppe in northwestern Namibia, an area rich in the translucent, brilliant crystals known as silver topaz; there have been record finds here of crystals up to 15cm (6ins) long and 12cm (5ins) wide. The mineral beryl also occurs in abundance, from the blue variety (aquamarine) to the pink beryl (morganite) and the yellow, known as heliodor. Most valuable of all, though, is the tourmaline, mined in numerous small quarries around Karibib, Usakos and the Spitzkoppe. This crystal often has a red core with a green “skin”; cut into slices and then polished, it is easy to see how it came by its nickname of “watermelon tourmaline.
Unique Materials
Yet it is the country’s exceptional ore deposits that are of most interest to mineralogists. The Ysterpütz farm in the southerly Karasburg district, for example, is home to substantial deposits of the rare “blue lace” agate. Pollucite, an extremely rare caesium mineral, is mined south of Karibib. Most remarkable, however, is Tsumeb Mine in the north-central region, where one pipe has produced 217 different minerals and gemstones – 40 of which are unique to Namibia.
Diamonds are found in loose sand both on land and at sea. Virtually every grain of sand on the shoreline has been vacuumed up in the search for diamonds.
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