The word "emerald" is derived (via Old French esmeraude and Middle English: emeraude), Greek: σμάραγδος (smaragdos; "green gem") from a Semitic language
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| Gods Green Earth Has Green Emeralds |
Emeralds in antiquity were mined in Egypt at locations on Mount Smaragdus since 1500 BCE, and India, and Austria since at least the 14th century CE. The Egyptian mines were exploited on an industrial scale by the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and later by Islamic conquerors. Mining ceased with the discovery of the Colombian deposits; only ruins remain.
Colombia is by far the world's largest producer of emeralds, constituting 50–95% of the world production, with the number depending on the year, source and grade. Emerald production in Colombia has increased drastically in the last decade, increasing by 78% from 2000 to 2010. Zambia is the world's second biggest producer, with itsKafubu River area deposits (Kagem Mines)
In gemology, color is divided into three components: Hue, Saturation, and Tone. Emeralds occur in hues ranging from yellow-green to blue-green, with the primary hue necessarily being green
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