Red Means Rare

Running through the bedrock found underneath the Tsavo West National Park are rich mineral veins. This sunbathed land reveals nothing of its hidden gems and for years, Tsavo’s precious stones remained one of its best-kept secrets. Then in 1973, American geologists John Saul and Elliot Miller visited the park equipped with their mining gear. After what seemed like eternity, the land finally relented and the geologists caught the first glimpse of Tsavo’s lustrous red ruby ores.  

The beauty of Tsavo’s rubies, also called Mangare rubies after the specific place they were first sighted, is their rich red colour. Ranging from a crimson red to a deep purple, the saturation of these gems puts them at par with the most high-quality rubies in the world. The rarity of rubies is owed to the distinct formation process needed for their creation. It calls for an environment that is rich in aluminum and chrome, something that is a rare occurrence. Even the slightest alteration to this environment will hinder the formation of these precious stones. This, added to the 20 million years it takes to form, has resulted in rubies being one of the most elite, precious stones.  

Mining of rubies in Kenya began after the discovery at Tsavo, with the first ruby mine being named after John Saul. Shortly after the two geologists uncovered the rich ruby ores, the mines were taken over by individual businessmen. Turned from public wealth to private assets, the rubies neither benefitted the local communities nor the country’s economy. This went on until 1989, when Richard Leakey, then director of Wildlife Conservation, terminated all mining operations in national parks. Since the discovery of the rubies, the rhinoceros and elephant population of Tsavo had begun to dwindle. Poachers posed as miners infiltrated the park and brought these animals down, posing a great risk to the sustenance of these species.  

With better legal frameworks in place, the mines were reopened in 1991 and excavation permits were awarded to Rockland Kenya Ltd. Mining resumed at the site in 1995 and ruby exports began soon after. By 2005, Africa was officially responsible for around 90 percent of world ruby production, with 52 percent of these gems originating in Kenya.  

With the mine fields in other parts of the world slowly becoming depleted, Kenya is rising in the ranks of ruby production. The presence of this rare gem on our land is another reminder of the blessings bestowed upon our nation.  

Tsavo National Park on map

Ruby-bearing vein in the Kimbo pit at the John Saul mines. Photo © John L. Emmett

Ruby mined from the John Saul ruby mine. Photo © John L. Emmett