By Osoro Nyawangah, MWANZA
Tanzania
Tanzanian government has said that it was yet to ascertain the true origin of the 2.8kg variegated ruby, said to be one of the world’s biggest, which went on display for the first time ahead of an auction in the Gulf emirate of Dubai.
The magnificent gemstone which
weighs 8,400-carat stone, nicknamed “Burj Alhamal” was unveiled on April 15 at
Waldorf Astoria DIFC as part of SJ Gold and Diamond’s Callisto collection.
Responding to a question
tabled by Member of Parliament for Mkinga constituency, Dunstan Kitandula, the
Deputy Minister for Minerals, Stephen Kiruswa said they learnt of the existence
of the ruby on April 13.
“We then contacted the
Tanzanian mission in Dubai, which confirmed that the current owner was an
American citizen from California. We are therefore engaging diplomatic
investigation in three countries to ascertain its origin.” He said adding that
if it is true then Tanzanians should be assured that their rights will be taken
care of.
He said his ministry is now
following up to find out the circumstances under which the gemstone left
Tanzania to its current owner.
Deputy Minister for Minerals, Stephen Kiruswa |
Though details remain sketchy
about when the gemstone was obtained; the variegated purplish-red rough Ruby
was reportedly mined from the village of Winza in central Tanzania.
The uncut Gemstone, which
weighs almost the same as a brick, was unveiled by British actor Tamer Hassan
at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre on last Friday.
Patrick Bellati, the Managing Director
of the company exposing the record-breaking ruby was happy to finally unveil
the stone
"This is a rough Ruby
from Tanzania it's 8,400 carats, it is not heated, what I mean by not being
heated is not been treated. So, it is natural and that's why it's precious. […]
We're going to auction it, but before the auction for the next 30 days, we'll
be actually travelling Dubai in different locations where everybody can see it.
Because it's important to show that it really exists. You can Google these
images, but you’re not sure whether they are real or not.” Said Bellati.
Experts have been questioning
the true source of the mineral in question, and if the government was informed
about its availability or not.
Also being questioned is what
Tanzania government deserves to get through the sale of the mineral if it was
indeed sourced from the country over unknown years.
According to minerals experts,
the greenish and purplish stone could be auctioned for 120 million dollars.
In Africa, Kenya, Mozambique
and Tanzania are one of the main rubies producing countries.
Rubies were discovered in
Winza village, Dodoma region in Tanzania, by December 2007, about 600 diggers
and brokers from various mining areas and gem markets in Tanzania had moved to
Winza to work the deposit for ruby and sapphire; the number reached 5,000 in
2008.
By July 2008, there were more
than 100 foreign buyers in Mpwapwa and about 6,000 miners in the area. -
Africa
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