The Mine, Part Three

The series continues with more mines.

Name: Carlos Díaz

Meaning of Name: Name of former owner.

Location: La Cumbre-area. South-side of the Cordillera Septentrional mountain range. Close to the Carretera Turística. Eastward of La Toca.

Amount of Holes: 5+ varies with season. Area size about 1 kilometer.

Color Gradient: Mostly traditional amber, gold, yellow, lemon.

Quality: Most of the material is workable for jewelry.

Fossils: Sometimes. Several excellent pieces have been found here: a gecko and even a frog (if incomplete), etc

Notes: The mines are hard to get to. This has not made exploitation overly viable.

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Name: Villa Trina

Meaning of Name: Villa Trina (personal name)

Location: La Cumbre-area. South-side of the Cordillera Septentrional mountain range. Close to the Carretera Turística. Eastward of La Toca.

Amount of Holes: 5+ varies with season. Area size about 1 kilometer.

Color Gradient: Mostly traditional amber, gold. Sometimes very dark.

Quality: About 30% workable for jewelry.

Fossils: Sometimes.

Notes: The mines are hard to get to. This has not made exploitation overly viable.

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Name: Los Cacaos

Meaning of Name: The Cocoa Trees

Location: La Cumbre-area. South-side of the Cordillera Septentrional mountain range. Close to the Carretera Turística. Eastward of La Toca.

Amount of Holes: No holes at all. Open-pits, 2 to 5 meters deep.

Color Gradient: Mostly blue. Several deep blue, purple blue. Also red and whiskey-colored. A few of the ‘blue’ turn green after polishing.

Quality: Mostly workable for jewelry.

Fossils: Never.

Notes: The location, sediment and finds are unique. It is the world’s primary Blue Amber source and its circumstances need yet investigation. The strata itself is bluish, much like the stones. The stones found usually resemble potatoes. This is one of the primary sources for the Blue Amber available on ambarazul.com.

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Citations: This compilation has been made with personal experience and using/completing the information from the following sources:

Baroni Urbani, C. & Saunders, J.B. (1980): The fauna of the Dominican Republic amber: the present status of knowledge. – Memorias, 9a geologica del Caribe, 1: 213-223; Santo Domingo. (Published 1983).

Schlee, D. (1980): Bernstein-Raritaeten (Farben, Strukturen, Fossilen, Handwerk). – 88 S. (mit 55 Farbtafeln); Staatl. Museum fuer Naturkunde) Stuttgart.

Schlee, D. (1984): Besonderheiten des Dominikanischen Bernsteins. – Stuttgarter Beitr. Naturk., C, 18: 63-71; Stuttgart.

Martínez, R. & Schlee, D. (1984): Die Dominikanischen Bernsteinminen der Nordkordillera, speziell auch aus der Sicht der Werkstaetten. – Stuttgarter Beitr. Naturk., C, 18: 79-84; Stuttgart.