Origin atlas

Gemstone Mines & Origins

A gemmological and commercial origin catalogue. Coordinates are regional approximations; the interest is scientific and historical, not geographic. Each locality connects gem species to the places that shaped their identity, value and treatment history.

Origins 70
Premium 40
Gem links 535
70 origins
Legendary Premium Major Commercial Notable
Australia Australia: Lightning Ridge New South Wales

Opal · Black Opal · Crystal Opal

Baltic region Baltic region: amber deposits Baltic Sea region

Amber

Botswana Botswana: Jwaneng / Orapa Jwaneng / Orapa

Diamond · Fancy Yellow Diamond · Pink Diamond · Black Diamond

Colombia Colombia: Muzo / Coscuez / Chivor Boyacá / Cundinamarca

Emerald

India Kashmir: Zanskar Range Kashmir / Zanskar Range

Sapphire · Blue Sapphire · Pink Sapphire · Yellow Sapphire

Myanmar Myanmar: Hpakan / Kachin Hpakan, Kachin State

Jade · Jadeite

Myanmar Myanmar: Mogok Valley Mogok Valley

Ruby · Star Ruby · Sapphire · Blue Sapphire

Russia Russia: Ural Mountains / Siberia Ural Mountains / Siberia

Demantoid · Amazonite · Topaz · Alexandrite

South Africa South Africa: Cullinan / Venetia Cullinan / Venetia

Diamond · Tiger’s Eye · Hawk’s Eye · Fancy Yellow Diamond

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka: Ratnapura / Elahera Ratnapura / Elahera

Ruby · Star Ruby · Sapphire · Blue Sapphire

Tanzania Tanzania: Merelani Hills Merelani Hills, Arusha

Ruby · Sapphire · Blue Sapphire · Pink Sapphire

Afghanistan Afghanistan: Panjshir / Nuristan / Badakhshan Panjshir / Nuristan / Badakhshan

Emerald · Aquamarine · Morganite · Indicolite

Australia Australia: Queensland opal fields Queensland

Opal · Boulder Opal · Chrysoprase · Crystal Opal

Bolivia Bolivia: Anahi Mine Santa Cruz

Citrine · Ametrine · Prasiolite

Brazil Brazil: Minas Gerais / Paraíba / Bahia Minas Gerais / Paraíba / Bahia

Emerald · Aquamarine · Morganite · Heliodor

Cambodia Cambodia: Pailin Pailin

Sapphire · Blue Sapphire · Zircon · Blue Zircon

Chile Chile: Coquimbo / Ovalle Coquimbo

Lapis Lazuli · Rhodochrosite

Czech Republic Czech Republic: Bohemia Moldavite Fields Bohemia

Moldavite

Czech Republic Czech Republic: Bohemian garnet localities Bohemia

Pyrope · Garnet

Dominican Republic Dominican Republic: amber deposits Amber districts

Amber

Finland Finland: Ylämaa spectrolite Ylämaa

Labradorite · Spectrolite

French Polynesia French Polynesia: Tahiti pearl farms Tahiti / Tuamotu

Pearl

Guatemala Guatemala: Sierra de las Minas Sierra de las Minas

Jade · Jadeite

Iran Iran: Nishapur / Khorasan Nishapur / Khorasan

Turquoise · Carnelian

Japan Japan: Itoigawa jade area Itoigawa

Jadeite · Pearl · Coral

Kenya Kenya: Tsavo region Tsavo

Tsavorite · Malaia Garnet · Mint Garnet · Color Change Garnet

New Zealand New Zealand: Pounamu nephrite areas South Island

Nephrite

Pakistan Pakistan: Shigar / Swat / Sapat Valley Gilgit-Baltistan / Swat / Kohistan

Aquamarine · Indicolite · Topaz · Imperial Topaz

Tajikistan Tajikistan: Kuh-i-Lal / Badakhshan Badakhshan

Spinel · Red Spinel · Purple Spinel · Jeremejevite

Tanzania Tanzania: Mahenge Mahenge, Morogoro

Ruby · Chrome Tourmaline · Spinel · Red Spinel

Tanzania Tanzania: Umba Valley Umba Valley, Tanga

Padparadscha Sapphire · Color Change Sapphire · Malaia Garnet · Rhodolite

Turkey Turkey: Milas / Mu─ƒla Milas / Mu─ƒla

Zultanite · Jet · Chalcedony

United States USA: Oregon sunstone fields Oregon

Sunstone

United States USA: San Benito County / Dallas Gem Mine San Benito County, California

Benitoite

United States USA: San Benito County / Pala California
United States USA: Wah Wah Mountains / Ruby Violet Mine Utah, Wah Wah Mountains
United Kingdom United Kingdom: Whitby jet Whitby / Yorkshire

Jet · Fluorite · Hematite

Vietnam Vietnam: Luc Yen / Quy Chau Luc Yen / Quy Chau

Ruby · Spinel · Red Spinel · Cobalt Blue Spinel

Zambia Zambia: Kafubu / Kagem Kafubu emerald belt

Emerald · Amethyst · Malachite

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe: Sandawana Sandawana

Emerald · Verdelite

Australia Australia: New South Wales / Queensland fields New South Wales / Queensland

Sapphire · Blue Sapphire · Yellow Sapphire · Star Sapphire

Canada Canada: British Columbia / NWT / Labrador British Columbia / Northwest Territories / Labrador

Labradorite · Jade · Nephrite · Diamond

Egypt Egypt: Zabargad / Sinai Zabargad Island / Sinai

Peridot

Ethiopia Ethiopia: Wollo / Shakiso / emerald fields Wollo / southern Ethiopia

Emerald · Opal · White Opal · Black Opal

Madagascar Madagascar: Ilakaka / Andranondambo region Ilakaka / southern Madagascar

Ruby · Star Ruby · Sapphire · Blue Sapphire

Mozambique Mozambique: Montepuez / Alto Ligonha / Cuamba Montepuez / Alto Ligonha

Ruby · Star Ruby · Aquamarine · Morganite

Myanmar Myanmar: Mong Hsu Mong Hsu, Shan State

Ruby

Nigeria Nigeria: Oyo / Ogun / Plateau fields Oyo / Ogun / Plateau

Aquamarine · Spessartite · Paraiba Tourmaline · Rubellite

Thailand Thailand: Chanthaburi / Kanchanaburi Chanthaburi / Kanchanaburi

Ruby · Star Ruby · Sapphire · Blue Sapphire

Alpine region Alps: alpine fissure localities European Alps

Rock Crystal

Austria Austria: Tyrol / Zillertal Tyrol / Zillertal

Zoisite · Kyanite · Vesuvianite · Dravite

China China: Xinjiang / Yunnan / Hubei Xinjiang / Yunnan / Hubei

Jade · Nephrite · Peridot · Turquoise

India India: Rajasthan / Odisha / Karnataka Rajasthan / Odisha / Karnataka

Star Ruby · Star Sapphire · Almandine · Hessonite

Indonesia Indonesia: pearl and coral localities Indonesian archipelago

Pearl

Italy Italy: Val Malenco / alpine localities Val Malenco

Demantoid · Diopside · Obsidian · Ha├╝yne

Mali Mali: garnet localities West African garnet localities

Mali Garnet · Garnet · Prehnite

Mediterranean region Mediterranean: coral localities Mediterranean Sea

Coral

Mexico Mexico: Quer├®taro / Jalisco / Sonora / Coahuila Quer├®taro / Jalisco / Sonora / Coahuila

Opal · Fire Opal · Turquoise · Amber

Namibia Namibia: Erongo / Green Dragon area Erongo / Green Dragon area

Heliodor · Demantoid · Spessartite · Jeremejevite

Norway Norway: Arendal / Tvedestrand Arendal / Tvedestrand

Zoisite · Fluorite

United Kingdom Scotland: smoky quartz localities Scotland

Smoky Quartz · Prehnite

Spain Spain: Salamanca / Iberian quartz localities Salamanca / Iberian localities

Jet · Prasiolite

Switzerland Switzerland: alpine quartz localities Swiss Alps

Smoky Quartz · Danburite

Taiwan Taiwan: coral localities Taiwan waters

Coral

United States USA: Montana sapphire fields Montana

Sapphire · Green Sapphire · Teal Sapphire · Parti Sapphire

United States USA: major gem fields Arizona / California / Oregon / Maine / Utah / Montana

Goshenite · Red Beryl · Almandine · Pyrope

Ukraine Ukraine: Volyn / pegmatite areas Volyn / pegmatite areas

Heliodor

Uruguay Uruguay: Artigas amethyst fields Artigas

Amethyst · Carnelian · Agate

Global Lab-created: global Laboratory-grown

Moissanite · Cubic Zirconia · Glass · Synthetic Gemstone

Worldwide Worldwide Worldwide

Mother of Pearl · Ethiopian Opal · Spectrolite · Obsidian

Origins by species

Find origins for each gemstone

Reading guide

Understanding origin data

Prestige

A qualitative reputation rating based on historical significance, consistent quality and market recognition, from Notable to Legendary. It reflects trade perception, not production volume.

Premium origin

An origin whose name can increase the commercial value of a stone. A ruby from Mogok or a sapphire from Kashmir commands a premium over the same species from an unnamed source, all else equal.

Market share

Estimated percentage of global supply for a given gem species. A high volume share does not imply high value share. Some small deposits produce most of the world's finest material.

Coordinates

Geographic coordinates are regional approximations for gemmological reference only. They indicate the mining district, not specific extraction points. Not intended for navigation.