GEMDATA — Global Gemstone Deposits
Quick answer: GEMDATA is a global point dataset of 1,022 gemstone deposit sites in 61 countries, covering 20 gemstone types including ruby, sapphire, emerald, and tourmaline.
About this dataset
Global gemstone deposit locations covering 1,022 sites in 61 countries for ruby, sapphire, emerald, and 17 other gemstone types.
Download the GEMDATA Gemstone Deposits dataset and explore global gemstone mining and deposit locations compiled by Päivi Lujala. The dataset covers 20 gemstone types including ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, opal, jadeite, lapis lazuli, tourmaline, garnet, topaz, pearl, amber, and quartz across 1,022 sites in 61 countries. Each site includes coordinates, gemstone type indicators, mining status, and discovery year where available.
Actual dataset map screenshot; map and basemap credits are shown in the image. Captured 30 September 2026.
Sites by gemstone type
How many of the 1,022 sites produce each gemstone (sites may yield several types).
| Gemstone | Sites |
|---|---|
| Aquamarine | 195 |
| Sapphire | 168 |
| Garnet | 156 |
| Ruby | 153 |
| Moganite | 145 |
| Heliodor | 141 |
| Tourmaline | 135 |
| Quartz | 129 |
| Pearl | 98 |
| Topaz | 80 |
| Emerald | 73 |
| Opal | 65 |
Remaining types: Spinel (53), Zircon (41), Nephrite (35), Peridot (17), Amber (13), Jadeite (12), Lapis Lazuli (11), Goshenite (1).
Sites by country
Top countries by number of gemstone deposit sites.
| Country | Sites |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 123 |
| India | 89 |
| Madagascar | 63 |
| Australia | 62 |
| Myanmar | 55 |
| Sri Lanka | 55 |
| Tanzania | 51 |
| United States | 45 |
519 of the 1,022 sites have active mining recorded.
How to download
- 1 Download the hosted GeoJSON file directly.
- 2 Open the gemstone deposit layer in GeoDataViewer Studio.
- 3 Filter by gemstone type to explore specific mineral distributions.
FAQ
What gemstone types are included?
The dataset covers 20 gemstone types: ruby, sapphire, emerald, aquamarine, heliodor, moganite, goshenite, nephrite, jadeite, lapis lazuli, opal, tourmaline, peridot, topaz, pearl, garnet, zircon, spinel, amber, and quartz.
How many gemstone sites are in the dataset?
The GEMDATA dataset consists of 1,022 gemstone sites across 61 countries worldwide.
Does this include diamond deposits?
No. Diamonds are excluded from GEMDATA and are available in the separate DIADATA dataset.
How do I cite this dataset?
Lujala, Päivi 2009. Deadly Combat over Natural Resources: Gems, Petroleum, Drugs, and the Severity of Armed Civil Conflict. Journal of Conflict Resolution 53(1): 50-71.