GEMSTONE PRODUCER GEMFIELDS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE AMAZING DISCOVERY OF AN 'EXCEPTIONAL' 6,225 CARAT ROUGH EMERALD IN ITS KAGEM MINE IN ZAMBIA. THE EMERALD WAS RECOVERED DURING NORMAL MINING OPERATIONS ON 5.FEBRUARY, THE COMPANY SAID IN A STATEMENT, AND IS BEING EXAMINED BY GEMFIELDS' EXPERTS TO ESTABLISH A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF ITS VALUE AND SIGNIFICANCE. THE EMERALD HAS BEEN NAMED 'INSOFU' (WHICH MEANS ELEPHANT IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE BEMBA PEOPLE WHICH ARE INDIGENOUS TO THE REGION) DUE TO ITS SIZE AND I HONOR OF THE WORLD LAND TRUST'S "WILD LANDS ELEPHANT CORRIDOR PROJECT', OF WHICH GEMFIELDS IS A PARTICIPANT. GEMFIELDS SAID ITS EXPERTS 'WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE GEM BEFORE ANY FINAL DECISION IS TAKEN IN TERMS OF ITS FUTURE.' IAN HAREBOTTLE, CEO OF GEMFIELDS, SAID: 'THIS IS A UNIQUE FIND. THE INSOFU DISPLAYS WONDERFUL COLOUR AND GOOD TRANSLUCENCY. ITS SHEER SIZE, RICH COLOUR AND FINE PROTECTIVE BIOTITE SHELL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE DEEP INTO THE GEM. HOWEVER, ALL THE INDICATIONS SUGGEST THAT THE CORE OF THE EMERALD IN COMPETENT AND THAT IT SHOULD YIELD A NUMBER OF CUT GEMS OF SIGNIFICANT VALUE.' THE LARGEST UNCUT EMERALD BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN FOUND WAS IN CARNAIBA, BRAZIL IN 1974. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE 86,136 CARAT NATURAL BERYL CRYSTAL. THE STONE WAS EVENTUALLY VALUED AT $1,120,080.
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