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The principal sources of rare earth elements are the minerals bastnäsite, monazite, and loparite and the lateritic ion-adsorption clays.


But I'll go with...

PAINITE has in years past been described by the Guinness Book of World Records as the rarest gem mineral. As of early 2005 there were eighteen known specimens, all numbered and accounted for. Specimen No. 5 has been faceted into an oval and weighs 2.54 carats.

Painite is pink to red to brown in color, very strongly pleochroic (showing different hues from different angles) and it fluoresces a lovely green under short wave UV. It comes from Mogok and Kachin State in Myanmar and was named after its discoverer, British gemologist Arthur Charles Davy Pain.

Diamonds are actually abundant and not all that rare, nor the most prized.

ET, I see your angle on the term "prized" and, while it may have validity, "prized" can also mean something that is very sought after; i.e something valuable and of high public demand. But, thanks for adding those fascinating minerals - didn't even know they existed .

However, I could not find any sources that stated from which part of the Earth's geological anatomy painite comes from. Would be interesting to learn if it's from the crust or the mantle.

I was looking for something valuable that arises from the earth's mantle (that part below the crust), and what I was looking for was indeed diamonds.

Which makes Pantera Leo IT.

Goodness me Tannie Elzet did you go knocking at the Geologist Proffie in the building next door!!!!

Thanks OWN was a wild guess though!

Now to come up with a Q, BBL.

Playing with words... I have sources that indicate that diamonds are not the most sought after. It's commonly used.


* World's three most popular gemstones....sapphires, emeralds, and rubies.


* Paraiba tourmalines are almost always quite small, since the beautiful cupriferous tourmaline crystals from the 'noble hill' in Paraiba were almost all fragments when they were discovered. Larger raw stones with a weight of over 5 grammes which had not cracked were rare, and only very few crystals had a weight exceeding 20 grammes. For that reason you are very unlikely to find a large Paraiba tourmaline at a jeweller's or gemstone merchant's - quite apart from the fact that few specialist merchants actually offer this highly esteemed gemstone rarity at all.

The gemstone world was captivated from the very beginning by the beauty and spirited colours of the Paraiba tourmalines. In no time at all they achieved great popularity, and today they are among the most sought-after and most expensive gemstones in the world.

* Garnets are much sought-after and much worked gemstones - the more so because today it is not only the classical gemstone colours red and green which are so highly esteemed, but also the fine hues in between. Furthermore, the world of the garnets is also rich in rarities such as star garnets and stones whose colour changes depending on whether they are seen in daylight or artificial light.

* Tanzanite is a very special and unique gemstone. World-wide it occurs only ... to make it one of the most sought-after and popular gemstones in the world.

* Opal is extensively used as a gemstone. Various forms of common opal are widely ... it one of the most sought-after gemstones in the world at all times. ...


and the list goes on and on and on.


Diamonds are most commonly used, relatively cheap in relation to other prized gems, but not most sought after. In my opinion, the rarer, the most sought after. Universal principle.

PL!





Nah, too far to walk.

Far scarcer than diamond, here are painite, grandidierite, taaffeite and other exotica.... Ten of the world's rarest and most exclusive gemstones...


http://www.curiousnotions.com/gemstones/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



While it may seem Greek to some, the grandidierite, majorite or painite are just a few of the world's rarest gemstones. And while some may be considered costly, others are surprisingly affordable thanks to their general anonymity to the public. However, each of these rare gemstones represents an exclusivity that can only be attributed to a handful of gems.


OWN, if you were looking for red diamonds, I agree...


While diamonds are not all that rare, fancy diamonds, are those that are strongly colored are quite exceptional. Red is considered the most rare of the fancy colored diamonds. Less than 35 are known to exist. They are considered so priceless; these stones are largely unavailable for sale.

Thanks for the extra, and very interesting info, ET. Fascinating.

What is geologically significant to the Edenburg area?

PL, where is Edenburg?

Uranium mineralisation occurs in the Beaufort Group in the south western part of the Free State Province, and also in the Elliot Formation near Ficksburg. The deposit on Mooifontein, near Edenburg, is the only occurrence with possible economic potential.

Forgot about this one as well, sorry. Tannie Elzet correct as always you're IT!

PeLletjie, at my age (25), one is allowed to forget (a bit)...


Tx. BBL

Which area in a Sanpark is often referred to as 'red dunes'?