International Institute of Gemology (IIG) is an exemplary educational institute with a legacy of 56 years of offering unmatched practical learning opportunities and skill development. One such recent event was the institute’s Student Study Tour Delegation which visited the Rathnapura Mines in Sri Lanka.
The delegation started the tour on a highly exciting note. They began the tour on day one by visiting Kandy, a famous tourist place, followed by an insightful visit to the gemstone market- Beruwala, on day 2. The delegation received the utmost hospitality & warmth from Mr. Rifkan Bary, the owner of Ceylon Connect, & Mr. Mzm Azhar, a Partner in Beauty Gems. The students were offered personal guidance & much-coveted information on various topics while relishing the delicious lunch at Mr. Azhar’s place. He also offered a precious memento with an imprint of a Sri Lankan map & studded stones. The delegation then visited the famous EG Lab, which was an insightful experience to learn about different lab instruments and Gemstone Certifications.
Day 3 began with the much-awaited visit to the famous Rathnapura Mining Area, located in a remote part of the country. Overcoming the challenges of adverse weather conditions, the delegation headed to the site area of the mine and gathered immense knowledge on the stones & their collection. The tour furthered to a small-scale mining area of SriGems, a local company that implemented traditional mining methods with limited resources. It was a truly enlightening experience for the students to witness traditional operations & processes related to mining. The day was given a perfectly fruitful end by visiting the Cyelush Mining Area, which gathers some of the highly coveted and rarest Ceylon Sapphires. This visit allowed the students to witness different colors of rough materials of sapphire that produced quality stones. Some of the shafts at this well-managed mine were almost as deep as 15-20 feet & which was a marvel for the delegation to witness! Cyelush Mines offered them a first-hand experience of closely witnessing a sapphire shaft mining system.
After a successful yet hectic day, the delegation spent some quality leisure time the next day by visiting some of the beautiful beaches of the country & enjoying the sports rides. The last day offered the delegation a visit to the Gem Museum in Colombo. It provided a great insight into the world of gems & especially the gemstone industry of Sri Lanka. Lastly, they caught a late evening flight back on the same day to get back to Mumbai & Bengaluru, respectively.
The tour was an overall extraordinary opportunity for the students of IIG to experience the world of gemstones in a unique & up-close manner! It is through the institute’s undying fervour & dedication that they never fail to offer excellence in every aspect of their student’s development.
Socrates’ quote “Wisdom begins with wonder” is rightly realized by IIG in every opportunity they offer to their passionate learners!
