A tropical island in the Indian Ocean, smaller than Scotland or Tasmania and half the size of the State of New York, Sri Lanka nonetheless possesses infinite variety, rich scenic beauty, unusual water, mineral, and biotic resources, and an ancient cultural heritage.
Sri Lanka’s location, astride the sea routes between the East and the West, exposed it to wide cultural and political influence throughout its history. The island was well known to travelers of many nationalities from ancient times and its reputation for precious stones, spices, elephants and scenic beauty is documented in the tales of Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Chinese.
Gemstone mining as a traditional industry in Sri Lanka runs way back to the era of ancient kings. The traditional, environment friendly and ethical mining methods practiced under the regulatory supervision of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) have set many benchmarks in the international Gemstone Mining Arena. Furthermore, traditional mining methods perfected over centuries have indeed been the primary reason for the minimum incidents of mining accidents recorded in Sri Lanka.
The most commonly used Gemstone mining method in Sri Lanka is Pit-Head Mining and Tunneling. Surface Placer Mining and River Bed Dredging are the other methods used widely.
The NGJA in it’s vision to uplift and improve the quality of life and living standards of the Gemstone Mining Community has effectively introduced a series of industry favorable rules and regulations. Mechanisms such as life insurance policies, accidental and disability compensations including mortality and educational scholarships for children have been introduced as mandatory employment per-requisites governing the Mining Industry.
