35 mm sized fragment of a deep blue beryl crystal (Santamaria type) from a recent find at the Tsaramanga pegmatite. In Malagasy language the term “Tsaramanga” means “deep blue” or “good blue”. In the collection of the mine owner, photo taken in June 2012.

General view over the three currently abandoned blue beryl pegmatite mines at Tsaramanga. Only one mine, not in the picture, is currently being mined for rose quartz and blue beryl.

Besides the gemstones, the mine produces also exceptional crystals of columbite, strüverite and samarskite.

General view of the blue beryl /rose quartz mine at Tsaramanga. The rose quartz is found on the left side in coarse pegmatite, the blue beryl is found in pockets aloing the contact pegmatite / gabbro. The most productive part is currently under water. Photo taken by Wolfgang Hampel on 6 June 2012.

View into the current mine site. Dark blue beryl crystals of up to 140  kg are found along the contact between the gabbro (greenish, right side of the image) and the pegmatite. The emptied pocket (diameter  approximately 1.50m) in the center of the image contained some 150 kg of fine blue beryl. Photo taken on 6 June 2012 by Wolfgang Hampel.

Massive mass of rose quartz, approximately 2 m high. Photo taken at the mine on 6 June 2012 by Wolfgang Hampel.

Pile of rose quartz boulders up to 30 cm, photo taken at the mine site on 6 June 2012 by Wolfgang Hampel.