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Uva Province, Sri Lanka: Bibile Sapphire Fields

Sri Lanka's Bibile area is located in the central-eastern region of the island in the Uva Province. In Sri Lanka, gem mining or "gemming" for Ceylon-blue and yellow pushparaga sapphire is accomplished via hand-dug pits, that are excavated into the rice paddies that carpet the valley floor.

Alluvial sapphire deposits are found in gem-bearing river gravels (illam), in ancient flood plains and streams that are now covered with farm land.

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