Some rare sapphires found along the Missouri River contain traces of vanadium, producing a striking color change of blue to violet or purple. Best known for beautiful blue-to-green sapphires, these deposits also produce varied shades of yellow, green, purple, pink, and even the occasional ruby. But modern trends have since embraced the softer rainbow hues of the natural, untreated alluvial gems. Careful heating can deepen or add color to these sapphires, creating deep blues and vibrant yellows. While Yogo Gulch gems are typically a classic cornflower blue straight out of the mine, sapphires found along the Missouri River gravel bars offer a broader assortment of hues, from subtle pastels to silvery neutrals. A 14-mile stretch of gravel bar along the Missouri River is home to several active deposits, with fully mechanized processing plants sifting through tons of gem-bearing gravel every day in search of precious sapphires (3).
0 kommentar(er)
