Malawi is a small country in Africa. While noted for rubies and orange sapphires, most of what Malawi’s main mine, Chimwadzulu, produces is pale green, blue, and yellow sapphires.
Malawi is one of the older mines in Africa with operations running since the 1950s. Chimwadzulu alone produces about five kilograms of gem-quality rough per month, and roughly a third of the yield is ruby. These rubies are mainly cabochan grade, though facet grade material is present.
Chimwadzulu rubies are an orangish red to pure red, often lacking silk and do not need to be heat-treated. The untreated rubies are often marketed as Nyala Rubies, with “Nyala” being a rare type of antelope indigenous to the area around the mines.
The Malawi government is working closely with the mining companies to make use of its gem resources to improve the country. Only time will tell how well this opportunity is being used