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People hunt for sapphires in the red mud, taken in Ilakaka, Madagascar, July 2017. The discovery of pink sapphire in the early 90s transformed this desolate village into a bustling mining hub overnight. Thousands of people travelled to the little village of Ilakaka, South of Madagascar seeking their fortune. The population grew from 85 to around 100,000 inhabitants. Sapphires of high quality were found in alluvial deposits, which means that to extract gems there was no need for industrial operations, as they were easily accessible to anyone willing to dig with picks and shovels. (Photo by Massimo Rumi/Barcroft Images)
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