Indian alexandrite
The first mines in Deobhog began to produce some alexandrite in 2000. Since then mining has been limited to certain times of the year due to rains and monsoons flood the mines for several months. Mines are usually closed from June to August. In December of 2004 many existing coastal mines were inundated by tsunami, effectively shutting down the alexandrite production. Still, Deobhog is currently producing the bulk of today's alexandrite, but the focus of the current mining is in Andrha Pradesh province near the city of Vishakhapatnam in the towns of Narsipattnanm and Araku.
Locality details
| Country | India
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| Region | Chhattisgarh
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| Province | Raipur
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| Locality | Deobhog area
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| Latitude | 23.6333
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| Longitude | 90.0500
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| Altitude | 9
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| Time zone | UTC+6
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Locality maps
| Map | Satellite
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Small deposit of alexandrite was discovered and opened in 2005 in Narsipattnamn, 100 kilometres from Vishnakahaputnam. Vishakhapatmam mines were closed in 2004, after tsunami. Alexandrite from the now closed Samunda mine is shows very strong change of color. Some of the stones change color in fluorescent lighting and it is only in strong daylight and very strong fluorescent lighting green coloration visible at all.
There is illegal mining by locals for yellowish green chrysoberyl cat's eye (Vyduryam) in Araku Valley Sector, Visakhapatnam district. Known occurrences are Sunkarametta and Tudum, where Chrysoberyl occurs in weathered / colluvial horizons. Good quality yellowish green and peacock green chrysoberyl cat's eye and honey brown sillimanite cats's eye occur in occurrences of Meduru, Pinapadu, Poturajuganula, Gurralagondi, Rintada and Satyavaram. There is illegal mining in pegmatites upto depths of 10m to 15m by making cross-adits or inclined shafts. Outcrops of pegmatite are scarce, but the pegmatites have depth persistence.
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