Apsara Gems - Kanchanaburi

Re-cycling the rocks

There are a lot of rocks dug up during the mining process which are graded for size and colour and sold on for various uses.

Water pumps

Huge pumps used to pump the water up to the high pressure hoses used to wash the gem bearing soil.

A jig

A very large jig used to wash the gem bearing soil. To give an idea of the size of this machine, if you look 1cm from the top and about 2 cm from the right into the picture, you will be able to make out a 10 wheeled truck arriving at the jig with a truck load of soil.

This is where the trucks tip the soil into the jig. The two high pressure hoses are mounted above to wash the soil down into the jig.

Ancient trees

These trees are dug up during the mining operation, collected and replanted in a specific area. There are hundreds of these ancient trees giving the area an apocalyptic look.

Lucky tree

The Thais are very superstitious and believe that the ancient trees will bring them good fortune. Another 'lucky tree' can be seen below.

Conveyor belt

The washed gravel passes by on a conveyor belt and the sapphires are picked out by hand. The workers are continually watched by security personnel and CCTV to ensure no sapphires are swallowed.

Combing through the gravel

Each time a sapphire is found it is placed in a locked and sealed pot which hangs over the belt. Some days no sapphires are found other days there could be kilos.

Sealed & locked pots

The sealed pots are used to collect the sapphires as they are found.

The sieving machine used to grade the smaller sized stones.

Minor blockage

Occasionally the gravel gets blocked up and needs a poke.

The black stones on the belt are black spinels or nin as they are known locally. Some pieces are picked out but only the perfectly formed octahedral crystals.

Sapphire crystal