Gemstones▼ are cut and polished mineral▼ crystals that have been primarily used in jewelry and other decorations since ancient times. Jeweled Fabergé eggs, once prized by the wives and daughters of the Russian royal family, are magnificently decorated with these precious stones. Different types of gems are found all over the world, many of which are excavated from small-scale digging sites.
Over the years, gem mining has earned a reputation for cutting corners at the cost of damaging the environment. The consequences of this practice have affected the locals in these areas for generations. In fact, even small mines have negatively impacted the environment. Hence, renowned British gem hunter Guy Clutterbuck is doing things differently.
In Mine Kings, a brand new show by National Geographic Channel (NGC), Clutterbuck is on a mission to find the world's most ethically▼ sourced gems. He and his handpicked▼ team of experts — which includes an engineer, an explosives expert, a miner, and a mechanic▼ — work with local miners to find rubies▼, emeralds▼, sapphires▼, and more. Clutterbuck has over 30 years of experience mining and cutting stones, and he hopes he can put it to good use to find the most valued ones to sell for a profit, such as the padparadscha sapphires of Sri Lanka, a gem so prized that it graces the crowns of Maharajas.
In one episode, Clutterbuck's crew head to a southwestern Madagascan town of Ilakaka with the task of finding seven sapphires of different colors from a single mine. Catch this exciting episode and more on NGC this month to learn more about sustainable gem mining.
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