The curse of the Ural emerald: is it true, how is the stone mined and used?

Ural emeralds amaze with their bright herbaceous color, brilliance and size. They have become famous since the 19th century, when they were first discovered at the Malyshevskoye deposit in the Urals. Currently, mining is being actively developed, since the cost of high-quality gems reaches thousands of dollars per carat. The average price is considered to be $500 per carat.

History of discovery and development

There are mentions of the gem in the Bible. There green stones are called emeralds.

The history of the discovery of Ural emeralds began in the 19th century, when they were accidentally discovered by resin-finder Maxim Kozhevnikov. He was uprooting a tree and saw green stones on the roots. Lacking sufficient knowledge, the tar smoker did not attach any importance to the find.

But later he decided to show the gems to expert Yakov Kokovin. He concluded that the mineral was an emerald - a rare and valuable gemstone. He also organized the extraction of the mineral at the Malyshevsky, or Mariinsky, deposit.

In the 1930s, priorities changed. Now it was decided to mine beryllium ore. It was believed that it was more valuable and necessary for the country. Dynamite was used for mining, which damaged existing emeralds.

After the collapse of the USSR, the emerald mines became the property of a private individual, who revived the mining of gems. But the jewelry deposit attracted the attention of criminal structures, and therefore production was suspended, there was a threat of flooding, and the deposit was declared unpromising.

Since 2008, attempts have begun to revive the deposits in the Urals. Since 2010, several Ural deposits have officially opened:

• Malyshevskoye (Mariinsky);
• Troitskoe (Pervomaiskoe);
• Sretenskoye named after L. Trotsky;
• Tokovskoye named after. N.K. Krupskaya.

In addition, watch the video:

Unique deposit

In many ways, the quality of jewelry stones is determined by the geological features of the place in which they were mined. The Mariinskoye field in the Ural Mountains is considered unique. Its depths are rich not only in emeralds, but also in other minerals. Alexandrite, phenacite, and beryl are mined there. The amazing qualities of Ural precious stones are determined by the high content of iron and chromium impurities. It is thanks to these elements that Ural emeralds are considered one of the best in the world.

Emerald deposit in the Urals today

In our country, mining of Ural emeralds is carried out in the Urals. Emeralds are mined at the Malyshevskoye deposit as a minor mineral. The extraction of beryllium ore comes to the fore. Additionally, metals (rubidium and others) are mined there.

It is planned to develop the mining of Ural emeralds, because the cost of a gem for 1 carat sometimes reaches $3,500.

There were rumors that the world famous was preventing Ural gems from entering the market in order to win the world championship in the sale of gems. But this was not confirmed.

In the last century, mining was carried out by open-pit mining, when the mineral was collected from the surface of the earth. Now they use the mine method. To do this, use explosives in a gentle manner. After the explosion, pieces of rock are selected and sent to a factory, where promising specimens are extracted.

The video shows a fragment of an excursion to the Ural field:

Demantoid stone – Healing properties

Lithotherapists claim that demantoid treats impotence and infertility. In the first case, it is recommended to wear it in a ring on the middle finger of the right hand, and in the second - in a silver bracelet.

Pendants and necklaces with demantoid cure diseases of the throat and upper respiratory tract, stabilize blood pressure, and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. I would like to believe that this is so. Perhaps the presence of calcium, iron, silicon or chromium in these crystals contributes to this?

Characteristics of the stone

Emerald is a type of beryl. Its size attracts special attention. Gems are known that reach a weight of 1.6 kg, a length of 14 cm and a width of 7 cm (Maryin Dar, worth 4,000,000 rubles).

Physical properties:

1. Color: rich green due to the admixture of chromium.
2. Shape: elongated prismatic.
3. Transparency: transparent, translucent.
4. Gloss: glassy.
5. Density: 2.8 g/cm3
6. Hardness: reaches 7.5–8 b. on the Mohs scale, but fragile.
7. Cleavage: absent.
8. Fracture: uneven, conchoidal.

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From the point of view of magical and healing properties, it is believed that the stone gives the owner elation, happiness, good luck in business, and a joyful mood. Able to protect against negativity and the evil eye. Relieves headaches.

Ural emeralds are divided according to color shades:

• pale green, almost colorless;
• medium green;
• rich green;
• dark green, bluish green.

According to the purity category, jewelers distinguish 3 main groups:

• G1 – inclusions are practically invisible to the naked eye;
• G2 – accumulations of inclusions in certain areas of the gem are visible without a magnifying glass;
• G3 – inclusions in the form of a grid are visible throughout the entire area of ​​the stone.

Purity classification

A real Ural emerald is a stone that always has inclusions. Stones without inclusions with a high color characteristic, especially large ones, are in most cases fakes. Jewelers distinguish the following categories of purity:

• G1 – with rare, almost imperceptible inclusions.
• G2 – with clots in separate zones that can be seen without a magnifying glass.
• G3 – with clots or a network throughout the entire volume of the stone.

There are also intermediate values, G2+ and G3+.

Jewelry made from Ural emeralds

Jewelry with emeralds should only be worn on special occasions, not every day. It is important to protect them from chemicals, high temperatures, and direct sunlight.

Ural gems can be combined with other stones:

• sapphire;
• diamond;
• rhinestone;
• cubic zirconia

The frames are made of different types of gold and silver. The combination of Ural emeralds with silver is especially successful due to the harmony of the color scheme.

The beauty of dark green gems will be emphasized by a voluminous silver frame (rings, pendants). Light shades will fit perfectly into elegant silver earrings and thin rings. Transparent “neighbors” – cubic zirconia or diamonds – will help to highlight the beauty of the emerald.

The ideal outfit for wearing Ural emeralds is a long evening dress at a special event.

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Certification

Certified Ural emeralds can be sold not only to jewelry factories that have the appropriate documents, but also to private individuals.

Certification is needed to control quality and protect the buyer from counterfeits. Still, buying a cut nugget is no joke. Typically, such acquisitions are made for the purpose of investing money, or the emerald is bought as a gift. In any case, this is not just a purchase, it is an investment of capital, sometimes even more reliable than in currency, real estate or securities.

The certificate describes the weight of the stone, the shape that the jeweler gave it, and the weight in carats. And in addition, two digits separated by a fraction must be indicated. For example, 2\3. They indicate that this is a stone of color No. 2 with G3 transparency. That is, in simple terms, bright green with abundant inclusions.

Unfortunately, no certificate can describe the mesmerizing beauty of the stone, its unique color, depth, and intricate dance of inclusions. All this is worth seeing with your own eyes.

Curse of the Stone

According to ancient legend, the owner of a stone can only be the person who mined it. There are several mysterious deaths associated with the owners of the Ural gems.

1. Maxim Kozhevnikov, who first mined the stone, began to get sick from hard work, contracted tuberculosis and soon died.
2. Yakov Kokovin, who found the deposit and organized the process of mining the gem, kept a large mineral in his office. The state councilor, who once saw the stone, spread the news about the beautiful nugget throughout the entire district. Jacob was ordered to send all the stones to the emperor for examination. The accompanying Lev Petrovsky stole the stone and shifted the blame onto Yakov, as a result of which the latter was sent to prison, where he soon fell ill and died.
3. After the collapse of the USSR, the emerald deposit came under the attention of influential people, against the background of which there were many criminal incidents and deaths.

But whether deaths are actually connected with emeralds is a mystery. In any case, you need to approach the stone only with bright intentions.

Do you have jewelry with Ural emeralds in your collection? What do you wear them with? Aren't you afraid of the stone's curse? Share your stories in the comments. Don't forget to repost on social networks.

Interesting facts about Ural nuggets

On March 22, 2013, one of the largest ingots in the world was found at the Mariinsky deposit. Its weight is 1 kg and its value is 5000 carats. This is a translucent ingot of bright green color.

Some emeralds, especially large nuggets, have an explosive nature. This is not a joke at all - due to the tension inside the crystal, the emerald can explode!

And there are those that are used not to create beautiful jewelry, but for solid-state lasers.

In 1963, the USSR issued a postage stamp dedicated to the Ural emerald deposits. Since its circulation is limited, today it is of great value to philatelists. And the postal denomination of the stamp was 10 kopecks, which by Soviet standards was quite a lot.

Ural emeralds also found their way into the royal collections. It is these stones that adorn the crown of the Romanov dynasty.

Failed resuscitation

In 2008, attempts were made to revive the mine and bring it back to life. A foreign organization came to the aid of the bankrupt company, offering investment in the development of the deposit in the amount of $12 million. But the “resurrection” of the Malyshevsky mine never took place, despite the fact that the opening of the mine and the recruitment of personnel for the work had already been announced. Investments were suspended, the Western company did not fulfill its promises, since the managers of the bankrupt company were unable to submit the necessary documents to obtain a license.

Bush care

The Ural Emerald variety is resistant to the main diseases that affect gooseberries, which means the main tasks will be: proper pruning of the bush, moderate watering, weeding around the bush and periodic feeding with mineral and organic fertilizers.

What and how to fertilize

Feeding gooseberries is carried out in three stages:

• In the spring, the emphasis is on nitrogen fertilizers, both organic (manure) and mineral (urea). The latter are scattered under the bush before the snow has completely melted, while organic ones can be used a little later;

Note! Fresh manure is not used, only rotted manure is used.

• During flowering or ripening of berries, it is necessary to inspect the bush and assess its condition. Pleasant appearance, high-quality growth, large green leaves indicate that the plant does not need nitrogen fertilizers. You can use potassium-phosphorus fertilizers of your choice in a volume of 20-100 g. If the growth on annual and two- to three-year-old shoots is less than 20 cm, you should add a little nitrogen fertilizer. It is important not to overdo it with them, so as not to end up with berries containing nitrates;
• Autumn fertilizing increases the winter hardiness of the bush. Preference is given to potassium fertilizers. In addition, fertilizing based on phosphorus and microelements is good. So, if you add phosphorus-potassium fertilizer in a volume of 20 to 100 grams per 10 liters, this will strengthen the wood. Two or three such feedings are required.

Pruning and shaping the bush

Pruning gooseberries has two goals - increasing the volume of the crop and preventing thickening of the crown.

This berry plant sets fruit well on branches whose age does not exceed 7-8 years, then the yield of such shoots begins to decline. The best option is to buy a new bush and remove the old one, but hardly anyone would think of getting rid of a consistently fruit-bearing bush, even if it is slowly losing its position. Therefore, gardeners choose another option - rejuvenating the plant with the help of proper pruning.

The crown of the Ural emerald is dense, so it needs pruning, especially from the age of 4-5 years

First of all, we remove old branches that do not produce normal growth and yield. In total, the bush should have from 8 to 20 branches - this depends on the density of plantings, the distance between plants and the degree of their thorniness.

When the gooseberry reaches the age of 6-7 years, remove 2 or 3 shoots annually, depending on the number of new ones that have grown. If you want to make the crown looser, you can start such adjustments from 4-5 years.

It turns out a simple scheme - the old shoot is removed, like the young one, but the one that is superfluous. This is how periodic renewal of the bush is achieved, thanks to which it is possible to maintain the yield at the desired level.

How to prune gooseberries correctly (video)

"The president"

However, the fate of “President” is quite contradictory. It was actually discovered in the early 90s of the last century and named after the first president of the Russian Federation. The stone was supposed to be given to Yeltsin himself, but then this decision was changed. Later, the fate of the crystal was to become the property of the Diamond Fund - due to the outstanding debt of the mining company, the emerald was confiscated from its managers.

The company's employees stopped working when unpleasant but true rumors began to circulate around the new owners. The organization was not going to pay its employees salaries and declared itself bankrupt. In light of these events, the legendary President stone was sold for only $150,000, while its real value was three times that.

Reproduction

The methods for obtaining offspring from Ural emerald bushes are no different from other gooseberry varieties.

1. By cuttings: rooting 1-year-old cuttings cut immediately after flowering with a “heel” on the cut.
2. By layering: the so-called “Chinese method” - by rooting branches pressed to the ground and buried.

Rooted cuttings and buried cuttings of the mother bush should not be planted for the winter. “Youth” are transplanted to a permanent place only in the spring - a general rule for both cold regions and the warm South.

Growing and care

Top dressing

A bush planted in time quickly grows in the spring. In the first season after planting, no additional fertilizing is required. In subsequent years, organic mulch should be added and complex mineral fertilizers for berry gardens such as Agricola or Master should be applied according to the instructions.

The Ural emerald variety is often confused with another variety of gooseberry - the Ural gem. These are different varieties, with different characteristics. Before purchasing, be sure to check exactly what assortment is offered to you.

Watering

Weeding and loosening can be avoided by using mulch. It also allows you to control soil moisture. In the absence of natural precipitation, gooseberries will need additional watering during the most critical periods:

• before flowering;
• fruit formation;
• after harvest.

Trimming

The gooseberry variety Ural emerald practically does not suffer from fungal infections. This does not eliminate the need for thinning and shaping the crown of the bush. The following must be removed:

• branches are old and damaged;
• thin weak shoots;
• thickening the bush.

In total, the bush should have 10-15 branches of different ages left - about 3 of each age.

Some gardeners practice standard pruning - they form a neat tree. Such ornamental plants are less durable because they practically do not form replacement shoots - instead of the 20 years allotted to the variety, gooseberries on a trunk do not live for more than one decade.

Pruning the bush after harvesting is the best way to improve the health of the bush before wintering. In addition to removing diseased branches, the area is cleared of leaves and debris, where pests find shelter for the winter. The Ural emerald easily tolerates winters with temperatures of -30 degrees below zero. Snow cover, coupled with mulch, protects the roots from freezing even at lower temperatures.

Medicine or amulet?

The magical properties of emerald have been known for a long time. It was believed that he was able to extinguish any quarrel, as he compensates for negative energy. When worn constantly, it gradually pacifies the temper of people who are quick-tempered and have an unstable psyche. The main meaning of the stone is the fight against evil human tendencies. It symbolizes wisdom and insight, and if the person to whom it was given is unfaithful, it fades and acquires a brownish tint.

Emerald and its synthetic analogue can equally be used in a magical ritual to establish peace in the house. To do this, the crystal is moved from room to room, leaving it in the most visible place for 12 hours. Thanks to its magical properties, the stone frees its owner from bad influences, and his home from negative energy. It can be used as an amulet against the evil eye and, unlike most gems, can be passed on by inheritance while preserving all the positive qualities. The advantage of artificial crystals is that initially they do not carry any information, and the owner with strong positive energy is able to endow the stone with magical powers.

Who is the most suitable precious variety of beryl? These are people born under the signs of Leo, Libra and Aquarius. But Scorpios, Capricorns and Pisces are better off avoiding the stone. It won’t hurt others to wear it, but most of all it is indicated for owners with well-developed intuition. The healing properties of the mineral are manifested in a calming effect and relief from nightmares, which significantly alleviates the condition of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases.