Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-11-22

Exploration and Assessment of Gem Deposits in Sri Lanka

- Although, it has been assessed that gem deposits are spread over 70% of the total land area of Sri Lanka, gem mining is concentrated only to a limited area of 10%. Therefore, the proposal made by H.E. the President, Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment to implement the project planned for the Exploration and Assessment of gem deposits in Sri Lanka, with a view to identifying the insitu gem deposits which have not been explored as yet, by developing a gem potential database including maps and introducing an eco‑friendly mining methodologies and preparation of guidelines for sustainable gem mining operations during the period from 2017 to 2021, under three phases, was approved by the Cabinet.