Boom and Bust – Sapphire

Boom and Bust – Current State of the Industry

Today, the Sapphire Gemfields is a more settled community, and the blended sapphire and tourism industries have led to a more sustainable lifestyle.

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Local gem cutters and jewellers have emerged, enabling our sapphires to be faceted and set locally. With the establishment of sapphire mine tours, as well as increased accommodation and food services, greater local industry income diversity has been achieved. 

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There are three different mining techniques used on the Sapphire Gemfields today: machinery mining, hand mining and fossicking. While the restricted machinery mining areas have mostly been exhausted, hand-mining for gemstones continues. This means production is lower; however, the value of gemstones is higher, so it remains a worthwhile pursuit.

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You can learn more about the historical boom-and-bust cycles of the industry on the related panels in Rubyvale and Anakie.

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Wash plant processes sapphire-bearing dirt
Hand-miner checks the pulsator at the end of the day
Visitors are fascinated by gem cutter at work
Locally polished Star Sapphire

Machinery mining 

On these sapphire fields, the restricted machinery mining areas lie mainly either side of the road between Rubyvale and Sapphire, where much of the sapphire-bearing ground has been depleted.

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Since sapphires were first discovered in Retreat Creek in the 1870s, the area has experienced many highs and lows, with major booms occurring in the early 1900s, the 1970s and the early 2000s.

Hand mining 

On Designated Fossicking Land, you will find a combination of shallow and deeper wash. This is where you may peg a claim, sink a shaft and use a jack-hammer to dig. Picking out sapphires is made easier by using a wash plant to process the dirt. While hand mining yields smaller quantities, the value and demand for sapphires have increased, making it a viable option.

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Fine example of locally made jewellery

Fossicking 

Areas and Designated Fossicking Land, you are generally permitted to dig up to two metres in depth in search of gemstones using a pick and shovel. You can purchase or hire equipment like hand tools and sieves from local outlets to make it a bit easier.

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Washing the dirt with the ingenious willoughby will save your back. This spring-loaded agitator, which sits in the drum, reduces manual effort by performing the vigorous, repetitive shaking of the sieve. 

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You must first buy a fossicking licence online at qld.gov.au or authorised local agents. Licences are not required at tourist mines and similar sites that charge an entry fee.

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Location

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Download the what3words app to help you follow the Trail.
Here are the ///what3words identifiers for this location and for the three closest stops:

You are here: ///celebrity.muddle.soft

Where to next?

Australian Sun – Sapphire – ///fogs.slugs.decades

Miners’ Common – Sapphire – ///upbringing.restricting.songs

Welcome to Sapphire – ///totals.treat.condoned

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