Israeli gem mining company discovers new and rare Carmel Sapphire stone

A London Stock Exchange-listed Israeli gem miner has announced that a mineral found in one of its gemstones has been recognised and approved as a new mineral by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA).

Shefa Yamim says carmeltazite, a mineral found in its Carmel Sapphire, was discovered on Mount Carmel.

Shefa Yamim has already received a trademark from the Israeli Government to market the stones under the name “Carmel Sapphire”.

The company’s chief executive Avi Taub said: “In today’s world where the prices of gems are determined predominantly by their rarity, the Carmel Sapphire is a unique discovery because it has not been found anywhere else in the world and was discovered by Shefa Yamim in the soil of the Holy Land.”