| Ratnapura is known as the city of
gems. Many people earn their living from the mining of gems and all
the subsequent processing. The gems are found in the gravel beneath
paddy fields. A mine like this one has many shareholders from the
government (10%), the owner of the crucial water pump, the landowner and the
mine owner. The miners themselves are paid a subsistence wage but are
allowed to keep the small gems after the auction of the bigger ones. |
Like most mines, a gem mine is a hole in the ground. This hole is only
about 15 feet deep. Palm leaves and grass woven between vertical props line the shaft. Eventually, gem bearing gravel is found and brought to
the surface. |
