GEMSTONE EXPLORATION – Sapphires Found on Baffin Island

BAFFIN ISLAND - Vancouver-based TRUE NORTH GEMS has found yellow, clear and pale blue fancy coloured sapphires at its Beluga property. Eighty stones totalling 12 g were collected as a grab sample last August. Field identification of the gems was confirmed by x-ray diffraction by the GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA.

The fancy coloured sapphires were found by Seemeega Aqpik, a co-discoverer of the Beluga showing, and Tony LeCheminant, a Canadian petrologist, 60 metres from the Beluga showing, while conducting the regional reconnaissance for True North. The geology of the new occurrence is similar to the other five sapphire showings elsewhere on the Beluga property, from which the company collected a 5-tonne mini-bulk sample earlier this year.

Photos of the polished sapphires can be viewed at www.TrueNorthGems.com. The largest polished stone was a fancy yellow oval weighing 1.47 carats.