Ruby trading in Mozambique
The first material from the Niassa deposits came to the international market through Tanzania. Before the discovery of Mozambican ruby and start Ruby trading many buyers on the African mainland were based in Tanzania and Kenya. These international merchants had cash available and were knowledgeable about exporting procedures, so they were the first to see new goods. Since the initial material from Niassa was not of the highest grade, few merchants felt the need to pay attention to Mozambique. However, when the supply from Winza, Tanzania, began to decline, buyers started looking for other sources of ruby.
The Montepuez deposit was starting to reveal its potential, and many merchants moved to Mozambique to establish a presence in Pemba or Montepuez. While the colour of the material was very desirable, it often required treatment such as glass filling or heating with flux to address the abundant fractures. The Thai trading centers have a wealth of experience in enhancing ruby, with regard to both colour (heat treatment is often required to optimize Thai and Cambodian ruby) and clarity (heating with flux to heal fractures, often done on Mong Hsu rubies, and glass filling, perfected on low-grade rubies from Madagascar). So nearly all production went to Thailand to be treated, cut, and sold in the trading centers of Bangkok and Chanthaburi.
Important discovery was made in the Montepuez mining area, when rubies with a different appearance were found. This was in an area called Ntorro. These stones had a more orange body colour than the early Montepuez production, with subtle bluish colour zones, bulky shapes, and a cleaner appearance overall. Furthermore, these rubies did not have abundant fractures and did not require clarity enhancement by heating with flux or glass filling. They do benefit from heat treatment to optimize the colour, an area in which the Sri Lankans have great experience. Since the discovery of this type of material, Sri Lankan traders have also started buying material in the local market.
Presence In The Market
The Montepuez deposit has made ruby more accessible than ever before. Mozambique has joined an elite club of ruby producers and impacted the gemstone trade in ways never imagined before, Mozambique offers everything from huge unheated stones with top color to sub-millimeter pinkish treated melee. This has increased the availability of ruby in all quality ranges and sizes. We have to remember that gemstones are not perishable goods, and almost every stone that has entered the trade is still out there. A deposit such as Mogok has more than a thousand years’ head start, yet nowadays the booths in major trade-shows offer the same volume of Burmese and Mozambican gems. The balance even shifts toward Mozambique.
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