Discount hotels near Moonstone Mine, Bentota. Then our guide took us to see how they make jewellery from the moonstone in their workshop. I asked how their operation works and many answers didnt make any sense, the guide was supposed to be the "boss" but he didnt know how the company works. See all. Thinner layers of alternating silicates refract more attractive sheens, whereas thick layers of silicates produce less colourful sheens. Public Domain. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Canada. ... How to handle/exchange money in Sri Lanka? I am not much into jewellery, but might have bought a trinket or two as a memory. The gem industry's finest and most abundant moonstone sources are in Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar. Guide was pushy at us, because we were supposed to buy 350$ ring and god knows how much else. Despite having a low hardness of 6 to 6.5, moonstone is a popular gemstone, as it is praised for the glow of inner light, which is called adularescence in gemology. Words and Photographs David Blacker Moonstones on display by size and colour Sri Lankan moonstones are of highest value due to their dark blue reflection. Checking out the moonstone mine reviews though, there are several who have been pushed into buying moonstones at the mines and later have them identified as fake by jewelers at home. Sri Lankan moonstones are of highest value due to their dark blue reflection. Sizes. Moonstone is rare in both large size and fine quality, but Indian material with strong body color is abundant and very inexpensive. Moonstone has been mined in these sweltering forests forever and the moonstone mines, little more than muddy rabbit holes, 6m or 7m long, are fascinating – as is the process of filtering out the precious stones and polishing them ready for sale. Checking out the moonstone mine reviews though, there are several who have been pushed into buying moonstones at the mines and later have them identified as fake by jewelers at home. The moonstone's body colour ranges from white to gray, brown, yellow, orange, or green. It is 27m deep and have two horizontal tunnels inside. I found it really interesting but the inevitable end of the tour involves a trip to the. Ambalangoda Travel Guide Flights to Ambalangoda Things to do in Ambalangoda Natural Moonstone Mine Car Rentals Natural Moonstone Mine Vacations Sri Lanka … Lanka Excursions Holidays office hours 8.00 to 9.30 p.m. daily (except from June Fullmoon Day), all rights reserved, © 2016 Lanka Excursion Holidays. Sri Lanka Destination Experts. The more blue the adularescence, the higher the value of a moonstone. Probably best to try and avoid the hard sell altogether and walk out after seeing the mine and small museum. Apart from the Alps, deposits of moonstone occur near Jelenia Gora in Poland, in the fiord region of Larvik in Norway, in Lemmenjoki National Park in Finland, at Lake Sevan in Armenia, in Kashi (Kashgar) Prefecture of Xinjiang Autonomus Region in China, near Nanto city in Japan, in the Central Desert Region and in Blackbraes National Park in Australia, and in Chihuahua state in Mexico, in North Carolina and few other states of the USA. It is such a shame that this so often feels like a hard sell and spoils what went before. Natural Moonstone Mine Address: Kahawa- Batapola road, Meetiyagoda, Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka ; Natural Moonstone Mine Contact Number: 0094-777750187 ; Natural Moonstone Mine Timing: 08:00 am - 06:00 pm ; Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel … The largest source is Africa, but almost all moonstones of African production are inferior due to a yellowish skin colour. Moonstone Mine of Sri Lanka The moonstone is characterised by an enchanting play of light. Moonstone Mine –Meetiyagoda is known for its valuable gems and moonstones. gemstone shop. Moonstone is a colorless semiprecious stone of different degrees of transparency with a strong blue sheen. The conditions would have been bad even in 1800's and its 2020. Drivers and tuktuk drivers know about this place and they get their share of the profits if they take you to this place. We said that's not going to happen. It's located in Sri Lanka. Unlike moonstones, producing in India and Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lankan moonstones has their characteristic blue sheen. Meetiyagoda, also spelt „Mitiyagoda“, is situated in only 4 km distance from the ocean, 10 km north of Hikkaduwa. Sri Lanka is the most world’s most important source of fine quality Moonstones. I said we've had enough and we rushed out to parking lot, the guide followed us to the car. Pick up a blue moonstone anywhere in the world, and the chances are that this beautiful gemstone would have come from a small village in southwest Sri Lanka – Meetiyagoda – where it is mined in a few primitive waterlogged pits, by hand, as it has been since 1906. I am not much into jewellery, but might have bought a trinket or two as a memory. Show less . If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Chemical formula of Moonstone is (Na,Ca)Al₁₋₂Si₃₋₂O₈, KAlSi₃O₈ and mineral class is orthoclase. In India, the magical moonstone is believed to bring about sweet dreams and good fortune for those who wear it. However, this adoration of this fascinating gemstone has led it to be exploited for illicit uses. The Meetiyagoda Moonstone Mine (near "Moonstone No. 1" workshops and showrooms) is situated 11 km north of Hikkaduwa by road. to get trip updates and message other travelers. We told that we didnt have money with us ( we had like 20$ left) - the guide told that our driver would come with us to hotel to get our credit card. Our Natural Moonstone Mine is located at Meetiyagoda –Southern Province Sri Lanka.

If you are looking to explore a colonial city and gain some unique experience & memories with enjoying some extra unique activities & attractions then this is the most identical and famous tour for that. They considered it to be marterialized rays of the moon. But don't expect too much. Meetiyagoda is famous for its moonstone mines. The prices are extortionate and I'm not convinced of how genuine the stones are - even though you get a. certificate, is it worth the paper it's written on. First you see nice cinemon trees, where the tour guide explains you all about cinemon trees. Meetiyagoda is situated 4km from Galle Road and 10 km north of Hikkaduwa. Meetiyagoda Moonstone Mine in Sri Lanka. Was quite a nice tour to see the working mine shaft and learn a bit more above the gemstones and minerals of the area. Photo about Looking down into the moonstone mine in Sri Lanka. The classic finding place in ancient Europe was the Swiss area of St. Gotthard, then known as Mount Adular. This pale blue, almost transparent, stone is a type of feldspar known as adularia – the way the stone shimmers when it moves is known as adularescence. The fanciful name „moonstone“ was coined by the Greek, who associated this rare shining stone with lunar deities such as Selene and Isis. intelligent to realize, that this is only for tourists and they don't get some new stones out of the ground. You don't have to be very. Although sales of jewellery are the main purpose of it, a guided tour at the main mine in the adjacent village of Domanwila can be recommended, as  you will not only be invited to the exhibition rooms. Like many gems found in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and Myanmar (formerly Burma), moonstone most often occurs as pebbles and irregular masses in gem-gravels and clay-deposits. Mining moonstone is nearly always a manual process but there are several different ways in which stones can be collected: In one method, miners dig deep narrow holes in the earth, lowering themselves by rope to the bottom. Ambalangoda. Historically, the most valuable moonstones with strong blue sheen are from Myanmar. This is fortunate, because the material is usually well-cut and very attractive. We were stupid to listen him. We considered going to the mines for a look. Indian moonstones are mined in Bagjunt and Ghorunjee in the state of Jharkand and in Kangeyam and Karur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. About their operation and showed how they Mine the moonstone are located in Ambalangoda Meetiyagoda. Even though the price was quite high for small amount of cinnamon formula of moonstone is variety! Said we 've had enough and we rushed out to parking lot the. 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