Sapphires are the official Montana state gem and have shared this honor with Montana Agates since 1969, but one type of Sapphire in particular stands out: the Yogo Sapphire. The Roberts Yogo Mine in central Montana is the only commercial Yogo Sapphire mine in the world, and a new group is helping to ensure that the process of getting the gems from the mine to the store is done responsibly. Mike Roberts, the new owner of Roberts Yogo Company, explained why he came to Montana from Alaska, where he mined for gold: "Just a new adventure to see, sounded like something fun to do, and hopefully there would be lots worth doing, (and) lots of money in it."
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All it takes is following what Roberts calls the "yellow brick road," so named because limestone rock has a vein or dike running through it. The "road" runs hundreds of feet underground. And about every 30 feet of any given vein, there are 10 carats of sapphires, considered by many to some of the best in the world. But contrary to common belief, striking it rich isn't just a matter of luck. Roberts said: "None of it's luck. It's just the more dirt you move, the more sapphires you get." In just a couple of years, they have already found some 100,000 carats. The underground ore, ladened with sapphires, is loaded up and taken back to the surface. It's then sorted and the water washes away the ore. Yogos are considered more valuable because they are natural and untreated, unlike other sapphires, but they tend to be small. And after being mined, they get cut and shipped to stores, and that process is the focus of a group called the Earth Solutions Committee. The group includes Roberts, area jewelers, gem cutters and environmentalists.
All it takes is following what Roberts calls the "yellow brick road," so named because limestone rock has a vein or dike running through it. The "road" runs hundreds of feet underground. And about every 30 feet of any given vein, there are 10 carats of sapphires, considered by many to some of the best in the world. But contrary to common belief, striking it rich isn't just a matter of luck. Roberts said: "None of it's luck. It's just the more dirt you move, the more sapphires you get." In just a couple of years, they have already found some 100,000 carats. The underground ore, ladened with sapphires, is loaded up and taken back to the surface. It's then sorted and the water washes away the ore. Yogos are considered more valuable because they are natural and untreated, unlike other sapphires, but they tend to be small. And after being mined, they get cut and shipped to stores, and that process is the focus of a group called the Earth Solutions Committee. The group includes Roberts, area jewelers, gem cutters and environmentalists.
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"The idea of conscionable mining is something that reaches across sectors," explained Committee representative Claire Baiz. "We are going to add value to the Yogo sapphire by demonstrating that it's socially responsible and environmentally ethical in the way we mine and cut and distribute and sell the Yogo sapphire." The mine does not use chemicals and even outside observers seem impressed. Stuart Levit of the Center For Science In Public Participation said, "As mining goes, (it's) probably as clean as you can ask for. However, ‘how clean' is clean is always a real big question." This is just one of the questions this group will try to answer in the effort to make the Yogo sapphire even more precious.
"The idea of conscionable mining is something that reaches across sectors," explained Committee representative Claire Baiz. "We are going to add value to the Yogo sapphire by demonstrating that it's socially responsible and environmentally ethical in the way we mine and cut and distribute and sell the Yogo sapphire." The mine does not use chemicals and even outside observers seem impressed. Stuart Levit of the Center For Science In Public Participation said, "As mining goes, (it's) probably as clean as you can ask for. However, ‘how clean' is clean is always a real big question." This is just one of the questions this group will try to answer in the effort to make the Yogo sapphire even more precious.
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History of the YOGO Sapphire started in the late 1880s, Yogo City was like a ghost town. The hundreds of people who had come to the town looking for gold had deserted it. Only a few people remained. Yogo City had been one of the least productive areas for gold mining in all of Montana. It was not until 1895 when Jake Hoover came to Yogo City looking for gold. Like many of the miners, he noticed the tiny blue pebbles that settled down to the bottom of the gravel bed along with the gold. But unlike others, he saved the pebbles. At the end of the season, he sent a box full of these little blue pebbles to New York for expert evaluation. The box was eventually examined by gemologist Dr. George F. Kunz, who identified the little blue pebbles as a rare untreated sapphire.
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From stories presented on KRTV and KPAX.
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Added comment from e-mail received: Other Sapphires found in Western Montana (known as "Montana Sapphires") do not have the YOGO's cornflower blue color and brilliance and usually are heat-treated to attain their blue color ...so don't be confused. Yogo sapphires are different from any other sapphire found on the globe. Also, other colors of Sapphires that are commonly seen in jewelry stores are not found in Montana.
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From stories presented on KRTV and KPAX.
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Added comment from e-mail received: Other Sapphires found in Western Montana (known as "Montana Sapphires") do not have the YOGO's cornflower blue color and brilliance and usually are heat-treated to attain their blue color ...so don't be confused. Yogo sapphires are different from any other sapphire found on the globe. Also, other colors of Sapphires that are commonly seen in jewelry stores are not found in Montana.
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