2009 press releases details
August 09 Optical Calcite update:
NMG is pleased to announce production underway at their Optical Calcite Claims. Earlier reports last year detailed the extreme environmental conditions limiting access to this fascinating new stone. NMG was contacted by the original claim beneficiary to assist with a security and transport problem. Since then, NMG has secured the deposit, acquiring more than 25 square kilometers of optical calcite mountains. Transporting the material is the biggest challenge. Previously this was a 3-day adventure, with material carried on heads, and 75% shrinkage along the way. NMG has forged a 15km trail to the south, which meets an impassible river. Transport boats are used to move the material down river 45km to the city of Miandrivazo. NMG’s president, Robert Grant, maintains that this new find will be one of more significant new materials offered in the Gem and Mineral industry. “Optically clean stones are rare and appreciated by not only connoisseurs and knowable collectors, but the general public. This material, when polished, not only exhibits the extreme double refraction typically found in clear calcite, but demonstrates an intense fire effect, a feature desired in faceted diamonds” . NMG is in the process of introducing their exclusive material to the jewelry manufacturing industry in China.
Aug 09 Maniry Mine (Labradorite Peacock Blue Mine), School update.
Back to school for Norcross students hit by their 2nd cyclone. In
2009, NMG rebuilt its Maniry-region school ...again. Total
Labradorite production is exceeding 100 tons per month, with the
majority of the material going to a Chinese firm.
NMG Explorers are pleased to announce
alluvial production from one of their iron / ore properties.
NMG Group holds [5] strategic ore reserves. The hematite has a
beautiful metallic shine, once polished, and still exposes the natural
crystal cavities
of this precious metal. Sample rough and finished products will
be on show in the gem and mineral industry at the Madagascar Minerals
Gem Show in Denver this Sept.
NMG is pleased to announce a
successful production season only 1 year after the initial
discovery.
NMG apprentice explorer Fafa Rakotoako has spent many
months on site, and detailed the NMG Amethyst “Line” outcrop.
2009 season’s production is projected to be 19 tons, and 2010 expected
to yield 10,000kg per month. Details of the life of the deposit
to be released shortly. NMG is proud of Mr. Rakotoako’s work,
which includes management of the local miners, securing the amethyst
gemstone, and property, and finally the transport of material back to
NMG’s production facility in Antananarivo.
(production pictures?)
NMG has been working with the
local NGO to declassify an environmentally protected area for the last
8 months.
NMG is preparing to submit their sustainability
proposal. The land in question is near rare endemic plants.
NMG explorer’s maintain their proposed mining project is part of a
greater buffer area, outside the area of protection. NMG lead explorer,
Meme Rakotombi points out that NMG focus is on sustainability and
includes local people in the greater picture, and as part of the
“environment”. Mr. Rakotombi explains “we need to think about the
local people equally as we do the environment. Too many
international NGO’s come here to protect, protect and protect whatever
they can. How can we develop, if everything is
protected?” After the proposal is submitted, it will be
voted on by various vested interests and government groups. NMG’s
long term plans for the area include amazonite block (5-14 ton per
block) excavation. However the land and no road access might
limit the potential of this green gemstone feldspar to small block
production (1-200kg per pc).
NMG is pleased to announce
production at their ancient copal forest. Copal is a hard resin
exuded from a special coniferous tree. NMG miners dig in the
ancient copal forests which includes alluvial recent to semi-fossilized
(65% polymerized) insect-included resin. For thousands of years,
ancient copal trees deposited copious amounts of resin to heal injuries
sustained from the destructive forces of nature (like cyclones).
Branches typically would snap, exposing the phloem part of the tree
which transports the resin. The resin would slowly flow in large
“icicles” globing off the tree and fall to the ground, entombing leaves
and insects along its path. Excavating in areas where trees once
lived and currently live, exposes beautiful specimens. NMG
operates a sustainability project, protecting the last living trees
from poachers and traditional slash and burn practices - still common
throughout Madagascar today. Without NMG’s sustainability and
protection plan, the remaining tree’s would have fallen in
2009. NMG is working with the Malagasy department of
Forest, on the sustainability plan along with management of the
resource.
Not to be confused with NMG’s recent
Blue Quartz/Agate material, NMG China facility is pleased to announce
successful chemical treatment of their agate. Using translated
secret German recipes dating back more than 120 years, from the famous
gemstone region of Idar-Oberstien, Norcross Stone Treater’s have
successfully changed grey banded agate into beautiful Prussian Blue
Agate.
Idar-Oberstien is also the birth place of agate chemical
treatment. NMG’s Gem Surface’s brand is now producing blue agate
slabs (granite slab standard sizes), tiles and furniture.
Madagascar Minerals will be offering all their customary polished
products in blue agate. NMG’s Thierry Andrianarismasy started
treatment of cut agate slices, however, due the slab polishing process,
the penetration wasn't’t deep enough. After a few months of
experimentation, Gem Surfaces succeeded at treating a full size, 400kg
granite slab (agate gemstone) in one streamlined process. NMG
claims this safeguarded technique to be the largest ever successfully
achieved, on record.
