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GLIMPSES OF WORLD GEMS CENTRES
NORTH AMERICA
U.S.A

The United States of America is a very affluent manufacturing, trading and 60 SUming centre for Gems and Jewellery, particularly for diamonds.

The U.S.A. is situated in North America, between Canada and Mexico. An island state Hawaii is located way out in the Pacific Ocean. For an area of 9,363,353 sq.kms., it has a population of over 247 million. English is the official language. French and Spanish are common in the South. The US Dollar is the unit of currency.

The top importance of the USA in the world of gems and jewellery was demonstrated negatively when the thriving country was targetted by terrorists on 9.11. 2001. Their sudden suicidal air attacks destroyed New York's famous World Trade Centre's twin towers and damaged the Pentagon in Washington. This unprecedented tragedy not only stunned the USA but caused a global slump in the global gems and jewellery sector. The resilient country has picked up the trends thereafter and resolutely rest its leading position in the world.

Wide Variety of Gems:

U.S.A. produces a wide variety of gemstones.

Diamonds: Arkansas, California, Indiana and Oregon. (Lately deposits of small, inferior quality diamonds have also been found in the Colorado-Wyoming border region. Further investigations have been going on).

Some diamonds were also recovered by people visiting the Crater of Diamonds in Pike county where collectors are allowed to dig for a fee.

New York is the main diamond centre. Its large workforce includes 43 per cent women. An estimated 57 per cent workers are non-whites.

A Diamond Dealers' Club has been functioning at Miami. The 150 members are the first diamantaires from Latin America who belong to a Diamond Bourse. They are from Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Costa Rica.
The American Diamond Industry Association (ADIA) is another active trade body of this sector. New York is hosting the 31st World Diamond Congress in mid-October, 2004.

Diamond Activities: Jewelers of America (J.A.),in cooperation with other precious organizations and trade has selected a weekday - Tuesday as Diamonds Day, when various events like seminars, debates, and even an afternoon Diamond Tour are organized.

Colored Gemstones:

Emeralds: North Carolina. A mine near the Smoky National Park yields emeralds mixed with feldspar.

Sapphires: Montana. Of the sapphires produced by the Yoga mine Lawiston, about 20 per cent are gem quality. They are lighter than the Burmese, but equals of Sri Lanka.

Tourmaline: Maine and California. In the State of Maine, the Nerway mine produces very good Pink Tourmalines. At another mine at Mt. Mica, the greens outnumber the pinks ten to one. They are free even from the olive tinge which is found in Brazilian stones.

California also produces Pink Tourmalines, but they are mostly suited for specimens and carvings.

Amethyst: Arizona. A remote mine in Arizona, accessible by helicopter only, produces amethyst. This Four Peaks mine atop a treacherous, tree-covered mountain, yields Amethyst comparable with the best in the world. It is reported that the mine which has changed hands often, has since passed into the hands of an international Amethyst cartel, which has first rights in Brazilian and African amethyst deposits as well.

Peridot : Arizona. The Peridot is a lighter, brighter bottle green. Arizona's San Carlos area produces a profusion of Peridot.

Turquoise: Arizona, New Mexico, California. It is the only stone in which USA is

self­ sufficient. Of the roughs mined by drilling through hard rock, 5 per cent are high quality stones of a royal blue color. Turquoise is also a by-product of copper mining.

Garnet: Arizona & Colorado.

Amazonite : Colorado.

Williamzite : Montana & Wyoming.

Chalcedony: Ventura County.

Amber: California.

Agate: Idaho. Besides a profusion of various colored stones found scattered, there is a miniature mountain of agates.

U.S.A. enjoys almost a monopoly for Rubellite, Rhodolite form of Garnet, Kunzite type of Spodumene, Amazonite, Williamzite and many fine varieties of Chalcedony.

63 gems and minerals have been named as State Gems by 40 States of the U.S.A., in recognition of their importance in the mineral kingdom.

Pearls were also once produced by the U.S.A. in the Gulf of California, but the source was exhausted. An inland source, the Mississippi River, particularly its stretch through the. State of Iowa, abounds in mollusks. Most of the shells are exported to Japan where they are used for producing cultured pearls.

Precious Metals: U.S. gold mines produce on the average about a million ounces per year. Nevada is the largest gold producer in the U.S., followed by Utah and South Dakota.

The State of Colorado has been noted for over 100 years as a major source of silver. Besides jewellery, the two largest consumers of silver are photography and battery manufacturing.
Development & Promotion: A number of organizations, institutions and associations are looking after training and scientific development of the gems sector. The Diamond