Kunene is a region in north-west Namibia, taking its name from the Kunene river that forms the country's border with Angola. The region encompasses the Kaokoveld, a remote area of mountains and gravel plains, and is home to several minor gem deposits, of which the most internationally significant is the demantoid garnet occurrence in the Erongo and Kunene mountains.

Demantoid

The Namibian demantoid (chromium-bearing andradite garnet) was first reported commercially in 1996 from the Green Dragon and Tubussis deposits in the broader Kunene-Erongo area. The material occurs in altered serpentinite associated with chromite-rich horizons. Colour ranges from yellow-green to a saturated medium chromium green, and the high dispersion (0.057, higher than diamond) gives the species its characteristic fire when cleanly cut.

Namibian demantoid differs in inclusion pattern from the better-known Russian Ural demantoid: whereas the Russian material is famous for its horse-tail chrysotile fibre inclusions, Namibian stones rarely show classic horse-tails. Namibian inclusions are more typically irregular fluid-filled fingerprints, scattered chromite crystals, and occasional bysollite-type fibre groups. Origin determination is offered by major laboratories on the basis of chemistry and inclusion suite.

Other production

Beyond demantoid, Kunene produces minor amounts of jasper, agate, chalcedony, and the well-known regional pietersite (a brecciated chatoyant variety of crocidolite-bearing chalcedony, named for Sid Pieters who introduced it commercially in 1962, with type material from the broader Kuiseb-Kaokoveld area). Tourmaline, aquamarine, and alexandrite-bearing chrysoberyl are also reported in small quantities from various pegmatites and metamorphic deposits in the region.

Trade

Most Namibian production reaches the market through Windhoek dealers and through the European trade fairs (Munich, Tucson by extension). Demantoid output is small by world standards, with most stones in accent sizes; clean stones over three carats are uncommon and command strong premiums. The Namibian government regulates gemstone export through licensing requirements, and country-of-origin documentation is generally available for compliant exports.