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 Post subject: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 5:04 pm 
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Just back in Dublin from a quick tour down the west coast of Ireland. Along the way we stopped at a whatever-you-want-to-call-it shop in Connemara, where they were selling Connemara Green Marble carvings and jewellery. Interesting in its own right, but not exactly what I'd call a gemstone. Which of course started me thinking...

Anyone know if there are any gemstone deposits in Ireland? I read somewhere that there is a company searching for sapphire but nothing commercial yet. I'm looking for something more of a memento rather than a super-quality gemstone.

Thanks!

-Allan

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:30 pm 
gembug wrote:
Anyone know if there are any gemstone deposits in Ireland? I read somewhere that there is a company searching for sapphire but nothing commercial yet. I'm looking for something more of a memento rather than a super-quality gemstone.


Shamrock.


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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:44 pm 
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I read at one time that there are emeralds in ireland. I have no idea where or when they were mined or of what quality. Maybe google will turn something up.

J-

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:07 pm 
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The only emeralds I found in Ireland was the emerald green eyes of some redheaded ladies :)

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:11 pm 
Jason wrote:
I read at one time that there are emeralds in ireland. I have no idea where or when they were mined or of what quality. Maybe google will turn something up.

J-


That's the shamrock from the Emerald Isle......

St Patrick banned the real stuff along with all the snakes.

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:41 pm 
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I think the green marble may be all you can find. There's Lead and Zinc mines there but the associated Gems are keeping quiet. There is also some Gold found there too.

Northern Ireland has Kimberlite but the Diamonds haven't been forthcoming.

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:30 pm 
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Gems of Ireland always brings Bushmills or the Jameson distilleries to mind, at least for me :mrgreen:

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:44 pm 
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Jason wrote:
I read at one time that there are emeralds in ireland. I have no idea where or when they were mined or of what quality. Maybe google will turn something up.

J-


I did hear that too(dont remember in what book though).

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Last edited by Gemsandjewellery on Mon Oct 01, 2012 5:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:33 pm 
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Thanks for the replies. The only thing I found in Google was some UK junior miner exploration company (aka pump-and-dump) that was drilling and kinda-sorta found sapphire/ruby which they were evaluating for commercial viability several years ago. They were following the True North Gems company which mined a few stones (from the Yukon and then on to Greenland) and even had them cut as part of their marketing. (True North claims to be advancing their Greenland ruby project to commercial mining... be interesting if that ever came through).

The Connemara green marble isn't all that thrilling to be honest. I had the opportunity to buy some of the rough pieces but it just doesn't fill me with any joy. At least the quality of the stuff I have seen in their jewellery and what was being offered.

I think I agree with Pete - the real gems of Ireland are Bushmills, Jameson and Powers :) Oh, Guinness and Smithwicks also count. :D :D

-Allan

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:11 pm 
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When I did a lot of field collecting there seemed to be a correlation between gems and snakes: wherever rattlesnakes were most abundant so were the gems and minerals.

All you need to do is find where all of Ireland's snakes have gone and you'll probably find a bonanza in gems :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 5:40 pm 
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I curse St. Patrick!

Just where DID he drive all the snakes anyhow?

-Allan

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 9:09 pm 
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I am thinking this is more from mythology, but I had a request for protection from Elf Shot from black beryl. Elf Shot prevention is from flint that I can find. And black beryl, from Brazil (I bought a piece on ebay from the UK - it is really gray). So, maybe there is black beryl in Ireland? Or it is just a prop of literature. I could never find it and it was not in mindat.

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:00 pm 
gembug wrote:
Just back in Dublin from a quick tour down the west coast of Ireland. Along the way we stopped at a whatever-you-want-to-call-it shop in Connemara, where they were selling Connemara Green Marble carvings and jewellery. Interesting in its own right, but not exactly what I'd call a gemstone. Which of course started me thinking...

Anyone know if there are any gemstone deposits in Ireland? I read somewhere that there is a company searching for sapphire but nothing commercial yet. I'm looking for something more of a memento rather than a super-quality gemstone.

Thanks!

-Allan


If it's not too late for you, 'Gems' comments that there is tourmaline at at least one site in the Mourne Mountains (N.I.). Other than the gold already referenced, that's probably about it.


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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:04 pm 
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I wrote to the GIA library asking about the emeralds in ireland reference that I had seen before. They kindly replied and here is their full response:

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Dear Jason,

I have been searching for references to emeralds found in Ireland, but I have been unable to find any documentation on an emerald deposit in Ireland. I have found a reference to aquamarines in Ireland but no mention of emeralds in the article.

The article I found that mentions some beryl deposits in Ireland is: D.I. Green & S. Moreton (2001) “Twenty years in minerals: Ireland”, UK Journal of Mines & Minerals, No. 21, p. 29-36.

As a quick reference library, we provide detailed citations and, when possible, provide the contact information for those references in order to obtain the magazine issue, journal issue or book. Since GIA does not own the copyright to the majority of the information that the Library carries, we do not provide a photocopy or scanning service due to copyright restrictions. You can contact the magazine publisher on their website, http://www.ukjmm.co.uk/contactus.htm

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Dailey

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 Post subject: Re: Gemstones of Ireland?
PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:21 pm 
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I'm just wondering if you have any fluorites like the UK?

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