Tanzanian miner finds another Sh140m Tanzanite Gemstone
Tanzanian Saniniu Kuryan Laizer who recently became an overnight millionaire has yet again found another 6-kilogramme Tanzanite stone – gemstone worth over Sh140 million.
The latest piece becomes the second-largest Tanzanite stone to be found in the Northern Mirelani hills.
Just a month ago, the local small-scale miner found the largest ever recovered Tanzanite which weighed 9.27kg and another one which weighed 5.1kg.
The 52-year-old, husband of four wives and father of 30, sold the gems to the government of Tanzania for Sh357.2 million. He also intends to sell his new fortune to the government.
Tanzanite was first discovered in Tanzania in 1967, in a very small mining area near the Mererani Hills, the only place in the world it has ever been found.
Geologists estimated that all the natural reserves of Tanzanite will be depleted by 2050.
Tanzanite’s appearance is influenced greatly by its pleochroism, which is the ability of a gemstone to show different colours when viewed in different crystal directions.