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Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide (α-Al2O3) with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, cobalt, lead, chromium, vanadium, magnesium, boron, and silicon. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin sapphirus from the Greek sappheiros (σάπφειρος), which referred to lapis lazuli. It is typically blue, but natural "fancy" sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors; "parti sapphires" show two or more colors. Red corundum stones also occur, but are called rubies rather than sapphires. Pink-colored corundum may be classified either as ruby or sapphire depending on locale. Commonly, natural sapphires are cut and polished into gemstones and worn in jewelry. They also may be created synthetically in laboratories for industrial or decorative purposes in large crystal boules. Because of the remarkable hardness of sapphires – 9 on the Mohs scale (the third hardest mineral, after diamond at 10 and moissanite at 9.5) – sapphires are also used in some non-ornamental applications, such as infrared optical components, high-durability windows, wristwatch crystals and movement bearings, and very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of special-purpose solid-state electronics such as integrated circuits and GaN-based blue LEDs. Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gem of the 45th anniversary. A sapphire jubilee occurs after 65 years.
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia, and chlorine.
Ilmenite is a titanium-iron oxide mineral with the idealized formula FeTiO
3. It is a weakly magnetic black or steel-gray solid. Ilmenite is the most important ore of titanium and the main source of titanium dioxide, which is used in paints, printing inks, fabrics, plastics, paper, sunscreen, food and cosmetics.
Titanium mining in Africa has been beset by environmental problems due to the polluting nature of processing rutile, a principal titanium ore. Titanium production in Africa includes the following principal countries and companies.
Sakaraha is a rural municipality in Atsimo-Andrefana Region, south-western Madagascar. It has a population of 31,183 in 2018.
Atsimo-Andrefana is a region of Madagascar. It borders Menabe in north, Amoron'i Mania and Haute Matsiatra in northeast, Ihorombe and Anosy in east and Androy in southeast. The capital is Toliara and the population was 1,799,088 in 2018. Atsimo Andrefana is geographically the largest of all Malagasy regions with an area of 66,236 km2 (25,574 sq mi).
Berevo-Ranobe or Berevo-sur-Ranobe is a town and commune in western Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Maintirano, which is a part of Melaky Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 8,000 in 2001 commune census.
Maintirano is a district in western Madagascar. It is a part of Melaky Region and borders the districts of Besalampy in north, Morafenobe in east and Antsalova in south. The area is 10,031 km2 (3,873 sq mi) and the population was estimated to be 52,700 in 2001.
Mandena mine is an ilmenite mine operated by Rio Tinto subsidiary QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM). It is located near Taolagnaro, Fort Dauphin, Anosy region, Madagascar.
QIT-Fer et Titane is a Canadian mining company located in Quebec. The company operates an ilmenite mine at Lake Tio in northern Quebec, and in southern Quebec operates refining facilities that produce titanium dioxide, pig iron, steel, and other metal products. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of mining giant Rio Tinto Group.
Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) is a South African mining company. RBM's principal product is titanium dioxide in the form of an 85% pure titanium dioxide slag; the company also produces the higher-purity 95% titanium dioxide product rutile as well as pig iron and zircon.
The Engebø mine is one of the largest titanium mines in Norway. The mine is located in Sogn og Fjordane. The mine has reserves amounting to 154 million tonnes of ore grading 3.8% titanium.
The Cerro Blanco mine is one of the largest titanium mines in Chile. The mine is located in Atacama Region. The mine has reserves amounting to 116 million tonnes of ore grading 2.1% titanium.
The Ankililoaka mine is one of the largest, projected titanium mines in Madagascar. The mine is located in Atsimo-Andrefana. The mine has reserves amounting to 368 million tonnes of ore grading 6% titanium.
The Basibasy mine is one of the largest titanium mines in Madagascar. The mine is located in Basibasy, Atsimo-Andrefana. The mine has reserves amounting to 446 million tonnes of ore grading 5.5% titanium.
Jean-Raymond Boulle, COR is a Monaco-based Mauritian businessman, the founder of four publicly traded companies with deposits of nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, titanium and diamonds.
The mining industry of Madagascar is mostly on a small scale, centred mainly around remote locations with large mineral deposits. Mining potential is noted in industrial and metallic minerals, energy, precious and semi-precious stones, as well as ornamental stone. The mining sector was neglected by the government for decades prior to the mid-2000s. In 2013, the mining industry, a main source of foreign investment, was struggling due to "low metals prices and distrustful companies", attributed to a 2009 coup.
Canada–Madagascar relations are foreign relations between Canada and Madagascar. Both countries are full members of the Francophonie, United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
Amboasary Sud is a district located in Anosy Region, Madagascar. It has a population of 45,989 in 2018.
References
- 1 2 3 "Ranobe mine". worldtitaniumresources.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-06-02. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
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