Started by his father, Rakesh Gokhroo, almost three decades ago, Akshit spoke about how the mining is done in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in a small area of the Merelani Hills near Arusha. “Tanzanites are mined within four blocks: A, B, C, and D. The mine that we do is at block C, which is also the biggest reserve for Tanzanite.” The name Tanzanite, Akshit explained, was given by Tiffany & Co. when it was discovered; the name is a combination of Tanzania and Zoisite, which is a calcium aluminium silicate mineral. “Tanzanite is the mineral family of zoisite; that’s where the name comes from,” he says.
Talking about the rarity of the gemstone, Akshit says what was easier to find 50 years back has become extremely difficult now. He says, “Geologists suggest that there are only 10 to 15 years left for these gemstones to come out because they’re only found in three particular locations within the area of Merelani Hills, which is very small and extremely difficult area to mine.”
Today, the mining can reach approximately 1.3 km underground. Miners travel about 700 metres down before walking another 500–600 metres through conditions marked by extreme heat and air pollution.
Akshit also spoke about how Maasai women saw this blue gemstone as something that resembled heaven. “Whenever a newborn baby was born, every member of the tribe used to gift Tanzanite for better prosperity and life ahead,” says Akshit.
Before the Western world picked up the gemstone, it was so abundant that Maasai kids originally used the rough crystals as playing pieces for a traditional game called Mancala, which resembles modern-day chess.
The talk ended with Akshit explaining the factors that determine a gemstone's rarity and market value. Akshit notes, “Tanzanite’s rarity is dedicated by the four C’s – carat (size), clarity, colour, and cut. For Tanzanite, the bigger the stone, the more valuable it is. The darker the colour, the more expensive it gets,” he says.
