Andranondambo sapphire deposits, Maromby, Amboasary Sud District, Anosy, Madagascari
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Andranondambo sapphire deposits | Group of Deposits |
| Maromby | Commune |
| Amboasary Sud District | District |
| Anosy | Region |
| Madagascar | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
24° 25' 0'' South , 46° 34' 59'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Group of Deposits
Kรถppen climate type:
Other Languages:
Malagasy:
Fitandrahana safira any Andranondambo, Kaominin'i Maromby, Distrikan' Amboasary Atsimo, Faritr' Anosy, 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.
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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities21 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities
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Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 3 - Halides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| โ | Fluorite | 3.AB.25 | CaF2 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| โ | Spinel | 4.BB.05 | MgAl2O4 |
| โ | Corundum | 4.CB.05 | Al2O3 |
| โ | var. Ruby | 4.CB.05 | Al2O3 |
| โ | var. Sapphire | 4.CB.05 | Al2O3 |
| โ | Hibonite | 4.CC.45 | CaAl12O19 |
| โ | Quartz var. Chalcedony ? | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| โ | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 | |
| โ | Rutile | 4.DB.05 | TiO2 |
| โ | Baddeleyite | 4.DE.35 | ZrO2 |
| โ | Zirconolite | 4.DH.30 | CaZrTi2O7 |
| โ | Diaspore | 4.FD.10 | AlO(OH) |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| โ | Calcite | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 |
| โ | Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| โ | Fluorapatite | 8.BN.05 | Ca5(PO4)3F |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| โ | Forsterite | 9.AC.05 | Mg2(SiO4) |
| โ | Zircon | 9.AD.30 | Zr(SiO4) |
| โ | Titanite | 9.AG.15 | CaTi(SiO4)O |
| โ | Diopside | 9.DA.15 | CaMgSi2O6 |
| โ | Hedenbergite | 9.DA.15 | CaFe2+Si2O6 |
| โ | Wollastonite | 9.DG.05 | Ca3(Si3O9) |
| โ | Phlogopite | 9.EC.20 | KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| โ | Fluorophlogopite | 9.EC.20 | KMg3(Si3Al)O10F2 |
| โ | Anorthite | 9.FA.35 | Ca(Al2Si2O8) |
| Unclassified | |||
| โ | 'Amphibole Supergroup' | - | AB2C5((Si,Al,Ti)8O22)(OH,F,Cl,O)2 |
| โ | 'Feldspar Group' | - | |
| โ | 'Scapolite' | - | |
| โ | 'K Feldspar' | - | |
| โ | 'Pyroxene Group' | - | ADSi2O6 |
| โ | 'Spinel Subgroup' | - | A2+D3+2O4 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
Localities in this Region
- Anosy
- Amboasary Sud District
- Maromby
- Andranondambo sapphire deposits
- Maromby
- Amboasary Sud District
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
AfricaContinent
African Plate
- Bekily BlockShield
Madagascar
- Anosy
- Amboasary Atsimo District
- Tranomaro-Maromby areaMineral Occurrence Area
- Amboasary Atsimo District
- ⭔Tulรฉar Province (Toliara)Province
Somali PlateTectonic Plate
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References
Schwarz, Dietmar, Petsch, Eckehard J., Kanis, Jan (1996) Sapphires from the Andranondambo Region, Madagascar. Gems & Gemology, 32 (2) 80-99 doi:10.5741/gems.32.2.80
de Grave, Johan, de Paepe, Paul, de Grave, Eddy, Vochten, Renaud, Eeckhout, Sigrid G. (2002) Mineralogical and Mรถssbauer spectroscopic study of a diopside occurring in the marbles of Andranondambo, southern Madagascar. American Mineralogist, 87 (1) 132-141 doi:10.2138/am-2002-0114
Giuliani, Gaston, Fallick, Anthony, Rakotondrazafy, Michel, Ohnenstetter, Daniel, Andriamamonjy, Alfred, Ralantoarison, Thรฉogรจne, Rakotosamizanany, Saholy, Razanatseheno, Marie, Offant, Yohann, Garnier, Virginie, Dunaigre, Christian, Schwarz, Dietmar, Mercier, Alain, Ratrimo, Voahangy, Ralison, Bruno (2007) Oxygen isotope systematics of gem corundum deposits in Madagascar: relevance for their geological origin. Mineralium Deposita, 42 (3) 251-270 doi:10.1007/s00126-006-0105-3
Andranondambo sapphire deposits, Maromby, Amboasary Sud District, Anosy, Madagascar