EMERALDS have been a beacon of hope across the world since time immemorial.

Now Zambia is taking its place as the leading source of these precious gemstones, thanks to the world’s largest producing emerald mine – Kagem – in Lufwanyama, which is owned by Gemfields in partnership with the Zambian government through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

Emeralds from around the world have always had an opulent allure and an aura of healing about them. Twenty times rarer than colourless diamonds, they were first discovered some 5,000 years ago. In that time, they have been credited with everything from curing snakebites to easing childbirth, divining truth and seeing the future. Emeralds are believed to symbolise hope, growth and fresh starts – particularly apt in the challenging days we currently face.

Fittingly, emeralds are the birthstone for May, that freshest and most verdant of months, when thawed land springs into new life and buds with flower. Joanna Hardy, a fine jewellery specialist and author of the book Emerald, sums up the special connection between these precious green gems and this time of year: “Once again, our parklands, woodlands and gardens are bursting with renewed life; there is nothing quite like the haze of green as new leaves burst forth. The green colours of spring remind us of hope, rebirth, renewal and nature, and it is no coincidence that emeralds have always been associated with these calming and rejuvenating properties. Wearing an emerald connects us with the earth, reminding us that there is hope in the air.”

And after what has been a particularly challenging start to 2020, it is fair to assume that the green shoots of spring will be more welcome than ever this year, and so too the gemstones that so perfectly encapsulate the spirit of this season as thoughts turn to jewellery, and the increasing popularity of birthstone gifting (a top trend currently with engagement rings). Those born in May are lucky indeed. One of the ‘big three’ precious gemstones – alongside rubies and sapphires – emeralds belong to the mineral family beryl and range in colour from a bluish green to a pure green, with vivid colour saturation, the shade varying with the country of origin.

East African emeralds are amongst the oldest of all, deriving their intense colour from a rare combination of minerals. The world’s leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, Gemfields has been mining emeralds at its Kagem mine in Zambia since acquiring the mine in 2008 in partnership with the Zambian government. Zambian emeralds are believed to be over 500 million years old and, due to their high iron content, more robust than others. They are known for their rich colour and are some of the largest and most exceptional emeralds found anywhere in the world. The ‘Lion Emerald’, discovered by Gemfields at Kagem in 2018, is, at 5,655 carats, one of very few exceptional gemstones to have merited its own name, displaying rare colour and clarity characteristics in addition to its significant weight.

As well as their exquisite physical characteristics, the talismanic properties that have long been associated with emeralds are a large factor in their enduring popularity. Romans believed they could revitalise the soul of those who wore them; early Christians believed they symbolised the resurrection of Christ; Cleopatra – after whom early Egyptian emerald mines were named – used to present them to subjects as talismans; the ancient Egyptians viewed emeralds as sacred, and ancient civilisations in general valued them for their healing properties far more than for their material value. In 1609, a Belgian physician suggested they could cure everything from dysentery, fever and bleeding to epilepsy and panic. Since these times, a rooted belief in an almost otherworldly ability to heal has attached to these beguiling gemstones. Who can forget the cherished emerald and diamond tiara that Prince Albert had made for Queen Victoria, or the ones given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton, subsequently auctioned at Christie’s?

When shopping for emeralds, Joanna Hardy suggests looking for, above all, transparency on origins and treatments; each emerald of note should come with a report from a recognised gemmological laboratory. You should also look for evenness of colour and good saturation; the cut matters too, and it is important to remember that natural inclusions are part of the gem’s DNA and should be welcomed: these are what makes each and every emerald unique.- Langmead Media

Source: https://www.themastonline.com/2020/05/04/zambian-emeralds-beam-hope-to-world-as-birthstone-of-may/

SINCE the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wuhan in 2019, there are so many ways in which society and economies have had to pay.
Some of the social costs that society has had to pay include the disruptions in social activities such as closure of schools, churches, universities and a suspension of many social activities that we hold so dear as a people.
From the economic point of view, we have seen companies close, job losses, loss of human capital (deaths) and a general reduction in economic activities whose cost we cannot easily estimate.
In as much as COVID-19 has cost Zambia and the world at large so dearly, should we just focus on the gloomy picture? The answer is a big NO because there are so many positives that we can draw at individual, community, national, continental and global levels.
For decades, money has been spent to drive an improvement in people’s personal hygiene habits but with little success as evidenced by perennial diseases such as cholera.
During the COVID-19 fight, we have witnessed a massive change in terms of people’s personal hygiene habits as well as improved community hygiene levels. The hygiene levels we are witnessing in markets, supermarkets and bus stations have never been witnessed before.  Yes, due to COVID-19, at individual and community levels, we now have a cadre of health and hygiene-conscious citizens that will outlive the pandemic.
Psychologists say that if you do anything consistently for a period of 30 days or more, it becomes a habit. Sanitising and frequent washing of hands will therefore become habitual for most Zambians
They say “necessity is the mother of innovation” and we have seen a rise in all manner of innovations that are meant to help save lives and for the human race to move forward.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have seen innovations by companies in the medical, pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical industries. These innovations include products ranging from face masks, hand sanitisers, test kits and those focused on how to drive production costs down.
Apart from innovations to do with medicines and health supplies, we have seen innovations meant to keep the social activities and the human race moving in areas such as communication, education and entertainment. During this period, we have seen a rise in the adoption of video-conferencing facilities.
We have further seen a rise in adoption of technology platforms to deliver live entertainment and education platforms electronically.
These innovations will surely outlive the pandemic and serve humanity for many years to come.
Another big positive that has been brought by the COVID-19 is that it has helped us assess our levels of preparedness and response strategies with regard to handling a pandemic or a global crisis.
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, certain institutions in Government, companies or in the community were seen to be irrelevant. For example, a safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) officer may be seen to be irrelevant until disaster strikes.
Scientists and researchers working in the Centre for Disease Control or climate change issues may be seen to be irrelevant until there is a disaster. Investments in certain sectors such as prevention and research centres may not be a priority and you can only see their importance when disaster strikes, as is the case now.
Investing in refresher courses for different professionals is not given any priority and it becomes too late when disaster strikes.
COVID-19 has taught us investment in preventive measures, and research is key for adequate preparation and response to any crisis. These lessons will outlive the pandemic and make us better prepared for any future crisis.
One of the biggest positives coming out of the COVID-19 is that in today’s world, coopetition rather competition is still attainable.
When competitors are supposed to be rivals, we have witnessed them cooperate during this pandemic by donating for the same cause. We have shown as a people that it is possible for subordination of individual interests to the interests of the general population.
The COVID-19 pandemic has helped us discard the selfish nature of a human being encapsulated in the slogan “each one for himself and God for us all” and replace it with the three musketeers’ mantra of “All for one and one for all”.
The same coopetition that we have seen in the COVID-19 fight is what is needed to fight some of society’s pressing problems like climate change and global warming.
Challenges make us grow either at individual level or organisational level. The COVID-19 pandemic has helped us grow both at individual, community and organisational levels.
During this time, both at individual and organisation levels, companies have learnt to be resilient and innovative in order for them to stay afloat.
A review of history gives examples of so many global crises that we have faced and have managed to overcome.
The first example that comes to mind is the Spanish flu of 1918 which infected an estimated 500 million (one third of the planets population) and killed between 20 million and 50 million.
The Spanish flu is considered the deadliest flu outbreak and it was overcome through cooperation and sacrifices such as those that we are making today. The sacrifices included masking up, closure of public places, avoiding handshakes, and staying at home, to name but a few.
A second example of a global crisis that a majority of us can all relate to is the global financial crisis which took place between 2007 and 2008.
This crisis was considered the most serious financial crisis since the great depression of the 1930s. This too was overcome through togetherness and cooperation and the world emerged better and stronger.
The battle against COVID-19 continues and we can’t predict when it will end, but we can predict that we will come out of this battle stronger and better than we were before the outbreak.
It is not an all-gloomy picture because we will be better in terms of the levels of preparedness and more resilient for the next global crisis awaiting us.

Source: https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/covid-19-not-all-gloomy-picture/