Associated minerals found in the wash include zircon, ilmenite, olivine, hematite and feldspar. The main areas mined are centred on Wyandotte Creek and Mines Hill. Processing wash to concentrate the sapphires and the heavy minerals also varies from rudimentary hand sieving and washing to more sophisticated mechanised plants. Queensland s production of sapphire is mostly from the Anakie field in central Queensland. There has been no commercial mining undertaken on the Lava Plains field since 1993, but recent interest by miners indicates that some production is likely to restart shortly.
Sapphires mined are a mixture of dark blue, parti-colours and fancy stones.
Only the blue stone is sold in volume to the world market. A significant proportion of production is made up of smaller commercial size stone suitable for cutting into 2-3mm calibrated stones for the mass jewellery market. The future of Australia s sapphire industry remains uncertain with almost all commercial sapphire destined for the export market, mainly to Thailand. The bulk of sapphires produced are exported as rough stone. Very little value adding to product is done in Australia.