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Tanzanian small-scale miner Saniniu Kuryan Laizer, 52, poses with two of the biggest of the country’s precious gemstones, Tanzanite, as a millionaire during the ceremony for his historical discovery in Manyara, northern Tanzania, on June 24, 2020. Laizer found the stones weighing 9.27 and 5.1 kilogrammes respectively in the northern Mirerani hills, an area which President John Magufuli had fenced off in 2018 to stop smuggling of the gem. He sold them to the government for 7.7 billion Tanzanian shillings (nearly $3.3 million/2.9 million euros). The broken biggest record of Tanzanite was 3.5 kilogrammes. Filbert RWEYEMAMU / AFP
AFRICA

The real story of the world’s biggest tanzanite find

In just three weeks, Saniniu Laizer uncovered the three largest tanzanite gemstones in history – earning himself more than $5-million. Who is he and how did he do it?

  • Simon Mkina
7 min read