Anakie sapphire fields
The Central Queensland gemfields around Anakie, Rubyvale and Sapphire. Sapphires and zircons, brought up by explosive eruptions about 58 million years ago, have been dug from their gravels since the 1870s. The Black Star of Queensland was found here in the 1930s.
Dated events and their evidence
- about 58,000,000 years ago mainstream
zircon fission-track ages from the gem gravels point to eruptions around 58 million years ago; explosive Eocene eruptions carried the sapphire and zircon up from near the crust-mantle boundary source - 1875 CE mainstream
red zircons are found with sapphires in Central Queensland source - 1917 CE mainstream
after the Russian Revolution the trade, run largely by miners from Russia selling to Europe, declines and few miners remain source - 1968 CE mainstream
the Queensland government sets aside land for small miners, prospectors and gem collectors, as tourists and gem buyers, mostly from Thailand, arrive source
Where
23.4191° S, 147.6983° E
The point is Rubyvale. The gemfields spread around the three small towns of Anakie, Rubyvale and Sapphire, west of Emerald.
Sources
- https://www.ga.gov.au/education/minerals-energy/australian-mineral-facts/sapphire
- https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0812-7387.15.1992.83
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubyvale,_Queensland
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gemfields
- https://ozgeology.com/blogs/news/the-world-s-largest-sapphire-gemfield-in-australia
Each event carries Aion's own evidence grade (mainstream, disputed or speculative). This page repeats what the globe shows for this place.