Latitude: 24°25'S
Longitude: 46°35'E
Fitandrahana safira tany Andranondambo, Kaominina Maromby, Distrikan'i Amboasary, Faritra Anosy, Faritanin'i Toliary, Madagasikara
Gem sapphires were rediscovered in 1991 close to the small village of Andranondambo. Earlier workings for phlogopite and thorianite already existed close to the village. The discovery caused a huge sapphire fever, and the village housed at times (1993-1997) nearly 100.000 people. The Andranondambo sapphire deposits cover an area about 3 km long and 0.5-1 km wide. Local miners have dug out a large number of small holes. They are often visible as 2-3m narrow sinkholes in the ground with underground shafts, some as deep as 20-30 m.
Most of the claims and diggings are now more or less abandoned (2009)
The sapphires are found in high-grade granulites in metamorphic rocks belonging to the Proterozoic Tranomaro group. They are formed in Th-U skarns belonging to the Pan-African granulitic formations.
Mineral List
24 entries listed. 18 valid minerals.
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References
- Schwartz, D. and Petsch, E. (1996): Sapphires from the Andranomdambo region, Madagascar. Gems and Gemology 32 (2): 80-99
- de Grave, J., de Paepe, P., de Grave, E. , Vochten, R. and Eeckhout, S.G.: (2002): Mineralogical and Mössbauer spectroscopic study of a diopside occurring in the marbles of Andranondambo, southern Madagascar. American Mineralogist 87: 132-141
- Giuliani, G., Fallick, A., Rakotondrazafy, M., Ohnenstetter, D., Andriamamonjy, A., Ralantoarison, T., Rakotosamizanany, S., Razanatseheno, M., Offant, Y., Garnier, V., Dunaigre, C., Schwarz, D., Mercier, A., Ratrimo, V., and Ralison, B. (2007): Oxygen isotope systematics of gem corundum deposits in Madagascar: relevance for their geological origin. Mineralium Deposita 42, 251-270
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