Inexpensive luxury: larimar stone

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

Larimar stone, the photo of which is located below, is a unique semi-precious mineral that is mined in the Dominican Republic. This country is located on the Caribbean island of Haiti. In terms of geology, larimar refers to a type of calcium silicate known as pectolite. It should be noted that this mineral differs from others in its unusual color. Scientists have proven that the larimar stone arose as a result of volcanic activity, so it can also be found in other states. Along with this, pectolites with blue color come exclusively from the Dominican Republic.

The first official historical mention of this stone dates back to 1916, when one of the Spanish priests Miguel Domingo Loren had several copies of it. It is possible that before that they were used by local Indians. Having weighed the possibility of a solid potential income, the clergyman turned to the local authorities in order to obtain permission to mine this variety of pectolites. At present, there is no precise information as to whetherthis request was granted, but the larimar stone was not mentioned in any sources for more than twenty years after that.

In 1974, active promotion of blue pectolite to the world markets started. It all started with the fact that several samples of it were discovered by a well-known jeweler at the time, a member of the Peace Corps, Miguel Mundes, on one of the coasts of the province of Barahona. The name of the mineral is also associated with the same person. It is believed that the larimar stone was named after his daughter Larissa, because the word "mar" in Spanish means "sea". True, there is another, unofficial, its name is the Delphic stone.

According to the inhabitants of the Dominican Republic, the blue stones on the shore appeared due to the surf. In fact, everything turned out not quite so. The fact is that they are all carried out by the Baoruko River. After this was proven, larimar stone was mined in its upper part. As of today, about ten kilometers southwest of the town of Barahona, there are about two thousand pits of a deposit called Los Chupaderos. It should be noted that it is the only source of these blue pectolites on the planet. They are mined only by hand, without the use of any specialized equipment. At the same time, when the rainy season begins, the pits fill with water, so the work becomes life-threatening due to the threat of landslides. An interesting nuance is that on the territory of the island of Haitiwhite and greenish pectolites can also be found.

Despite its unusualness and uniqueness, larimar is a stone, the price of which is not so high. For example, a ring in which there is an insert from it can cost the buyer an amount that does not exceed one hundred US dollars. At the same time, everyone who wants to have jewelry with such a mineral should hurry up, as its reserves will be exhausted very soon.