Quick Links : The Mindat Manual The Rock H. Currier Digital Library Mindat Newsletter [Free Download]

Home Page About Mindat The Mindat Manual History of Mindat Copyright Status Who We Are Contact Us Advertise on Mindat

Donate to Mindat Corporate Sponsorship Sponsor a Page Sponsored Pages Mindat Advertisers Advertise on Mindat

Learning Center What is a mineral?The most common minerals on earth Information for Educators Mindat Articles The Elements The Rock H. Currier Digital Library Geologic Time Explore Fossils

Minerals by Properties Minerals by Chemistry Mineral Visual Explorer Advanced Locality Search Random Mineral Random Locality Search by minID Localities Near Me Search Articles Search Glossary More Search Options

The Mindat Manual Add a New Photo Rate Photos Locality Edit Report Coordinate Completion Report Add Glossary Item

Mining Companies Statistics Users Mineral Museums Clubs & Organizations Mineral Shows & Events The Mindat Directory Device Settings The Mineral Quiz Time Machine

Photo Search Photo Galleries Search by Color Photo Colour Explorer New Photos Today New Photos Yesterday Members' Photo Galleries Past Photo of the Day Gallery Photography

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka i
Regional Level Types
Balangoda Divisional secretariat
Ratnapura District District
Sabaragamuwa Province Province
Sri Lanka Country

Regional Level Types
Balangoda	Divisional secretariat
Ratnapura District	District
Sabaragamuwa Province	Province
Sri Lanka	Country

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

Photos Maps Search

Standard

Specimen Photos (22)Photos by Color Gallery Photo Statistics Add Photo

Mineral Search Similar Localities Predictive Mineralogy Search Google Type Localities in Region

Sapphire

Aluthnuwara, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Chrysoberyl

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Thorianite

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Sapphire

Aluthnuwara, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Chrysoberyl

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Thorianite

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Sapphire

Aluthnuwara, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Chrysoberyl

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Neighbouring regions:

Ratnapura, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka

Type:

Divisional secretariat

Mindat Locality ID:

3149

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:2:3149:6

GUID (UUID V4):

Gem mining district (gem gravels).

Charnockite bedrock.

Balangoda is a town in Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an urban council located 143 kilometres (ca. 89 mi) from Colombo and 43 kilometres (ca. 27 mi) from Ratnapura on the Colombo - Batticaloa Highway(A4). It is one of the largest towns of the Sabaragamuwa Province.

Balangoda is notable due to the discovery of skeletal Hominini remains from the late Quaternary period (the earliest reliably dated record of anatomically modern humans in South Asia).

Balangoda is situated in the hilly central region of central Sri Lanka on Sabaragamuwa Mountain Range. The main livelihoods of this region are farming (vegetables, fruits, and spices), rice cultivation for mainly local consumption, tea cultivation for international markets as a commercial crop, and gem mining.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

15 valid minerals. 1 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Baddeleyite

Formula: ZrO₂

References:

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 33

ⓘ Beryl

Formula: Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine

Formula: Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Beryl var. Goshenite

Formula: Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Chrysoberyl

Formula: BeAl₂O₄

ⓘ Chrysoberyl var. Alexandrite

Formula: BeAl₂O₄

ⓘ Corundum

Formula: Al₂O₃

Description: Blue, yellow, white.

References:

Shigley, J. E., Laurs, B. M., Janse, A. J. A., Elen, S., & Dirlam, D. M. (2010). Gem Localities of the 2000s. Gems & Gemology, 46(3).

ⓘ Corundum var. Ruby

Formula: Al₂O₃

ⓘ Corundum var. Sapphire

Formula: Al₂O₃

Description: Blue, yellow, white.

References:

Shigley, J. E., Laurs, B. M., Janse, A. J. A., Elen, S., & Dirlam, D. M. (2010). Gem Localities of the 2000s. Gems & Gemology, 46(3).

ⓘ 'Garnet Group'

Formula: X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Geikielite

Formula: MgTiO₃

References:

Nature (1892) 46, 620

Mineralogical Magazine(1893) 10, 145

ⓘ Graphite

Formula: C

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Ilmenite

Formula: Fe²⁺TiO₃

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Native Gold

Formula: Au

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Pyrite

Formula: FeS₂

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Sillimanite

Formula: Al₂(SiO₄)O

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

ⓘ Sinhalite

Formula: MgAl(BO₄)

References:

Francis, Carl A., Hurlbut, Cornelius S., Pitman, Lawrence C. (1995) Euhedral Sinhalite Crystals from Sri Lanka. The Mineralogical Record, 26 (2) 91-94

ⓘ Spinel

Formula: MgAl₂O₄

References:

Shigley, J. E., Dirlam, D. M., Laurs, B. M., Boehm, E. W., Bosshart, G., & Larson, W. F. (2000). Gem localities of the 1990s. Gems & Gemology, 36(4), 292-335.

ⓘ Thorianite (TL)

Formula: ThO₂

Type Locality:

References:

[Circular of the USA National Bureau of Standards,539,V.1,57(1953)

Clark, A. M. (1993) Hey's Mineral Index - Mineral Species, Varieties and Synonyms (3rd ed.). Natural History Museum.

ⓘ Topaz

Formula: Al₂(SiO₄)(F,OH)₂

References:

Shigley, J. E., Laurs, B. M., Janse, A. J. A., Elen, S., & Dirlam, D. M. (2010). Gem Localities of the 2000s. Gems & Gemology, 46(3).

ⓘ Zircon

Formula: Zr(SiO₄)

References:

Econ Geol (1981) 76:733-738

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘ	Native Gold	1.AA.05	Au
ⓘ	Graphite	1.CB.05a	C
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘ	Pyrite	2.EB.05a	FeS₂
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ	Chrysoberyl var. Alexandrite	4.BA.05	BeAl₂O₄
ⓘ		4.BA.05	BeAl₂O₄
ⓘ	Spinel	4.BB.05	MgAl₂O₄
ⓘ	Corundum	4.CB.05	Al₂O₃
ⓘ	Geikielite	4.CB.05	MgTiO₃
ⓘ	Ilmenite	4.CB.05	Fe²⁺TiO₃
ⓘ	Corundum var. Ruby	4.CB.05	Al₂O₃
ⓘ	var. Sapphire	4.CB.05	Al₂O₃
ⓘ	Baddeleyite	4.DE.35	ZrO₂
ⓘ	Thorianite (TL)	4.DL.05	ThO₂
Group 6 - Borates
ⓘ	Sinhalite	6.AC.05	MgAl(BO₄)
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘ	Zircon	9.AD.30	Zr(SiO₄)
ⓘ	Sillimanite	9.AF.05	Al₂(SiO₄)O
ⓘ	Topaz	9.AF.35	Al₂(SiO₄)(F,OH)₂
ⓘ	Beryl var. Aquamarine	9.CJ.05	Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
ⓘ		9.CJ.05	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
ⓘ	var. Goshenite	9.CJ.05	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
Unclassified
ⓘ	'Garnet Group'	-	X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃

List of minerals for each chemical element

H	Hydrogen
H	ⓘ Topaz	Al₂(SiO₄)(F,OH)₂
Be	Beryllium
Be	ⓘ Chrysoberyl var. Alexandrite	BeAl₂O₄
Be	ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine	Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
Be	ⓘ Beryl	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
Be	ⓘ Chrysoberyl	BeAl₂O₄
Be	ⓘ Beryl var. Goshenite	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
B	Boron
B	ⓘ Sinhalite	MgAl(BO₄)
C	Carbon
C	ⓘ Graphite	C
O	Oxygen
O	ⓘ Chrysoberyl var. Alexandrite	BeAl₂O₄
O	ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine	Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
O	ⓘ Baddeleyite	ZrO₂
O	ⓘ Beryl	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
O	ⓘ Chrysoberyl	BeAl₂O₄
O	ⓘ Corundum	Al₂O₃
O	ⓘ Geikielite	MgTiO₃
O	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
O	ⓘ Corundum var. Ruby	Al₂O₃
O	ⓘ Corundum var. Sapphire	Al₂O₃
O	ⓘ Sillimanite	Al₂(SiO₄)O
O	ⓘ Sinhalite	MgAl(BO₄)
O	ⓘ Spinel	MgAl₂O₄
O	ⓘ Thorianite	ThO₂
O	ⓘ Topaz	Al₂(SiO₄)(F,OH)₂
O	ⓘ Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)
O	ⓘ Beryl var. Goshenite	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
O	ⓘ Garnet Group	X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃
F	Fluorine
F	ⓘ Topaz	Al₂(SiO₄)(F,OH)₂
Mg	Magnesium
Mg	ⓘ Geikielite	MgTiO₃
Mg	ⓘ Sinhalite	MgAl(BO₄)
Mg	ⓘ Spinel	MgAl₂O₄
Al	Aluminium
Al	ⓘ Chrysoberyl var. Alexandrite	BeAl₂O₄
Al	ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine	Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
Al	ⓘ Beryl	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
Al	ⓘ Chrysoberyl	BeAl₂O₄
Al	ⓘ Corundum	Al₂O₃
Al	ⓘ Corundum var. Ruby	Al₂O₃
Al	ⓘ Corundum var. Sapphire	Al₂O₃
Al	ⓘ Sillimanite	Al₂(SiO₄)O
Al	ⓘ Sinhalite	MgAl(BO₄)
Al	ⓘ Spinel	MgAl₂O₄
Al	ⓘ Topaz	Al₂(SiO₄)(F,OH)₂
Al	ⓘ Beryl var. Goshenite	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
Si	Silicon
Si	ⓘ Beryl var. Aquamarine	Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
Si	ⓘ Beryl	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
Si	ⓘ Sillimanite	Al₂(SiO₄)O
Si	ⓘ Topaz	Al₂(SiO₄)(F,OH)₂
Si	ⓘ Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)
Si	ⓘ Beryl var. Goshenite	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
Si	ⓘ Garnet Group	X₃Z₂(SiO₄)₃
S	Sulfur
S	ⓘ Pyrite	FeS₂
Ti	Titanium
Ti	ⓘ Geikielite	MgTiO₃
Ti	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
Fe	Iron
Fe	ⓘ Ilmenite	Fe²⁺TiO₃
Fe	ⓘ Pyrite	FeS₂
Zr	Zirconium
Zr	ⓘ Baddeleyite	ZrO₂
Zr	ⓘ Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)
Au	Gold
Au	ⓘ Native Gold	Au
Th	Thorium
Th	ⓘ Thorianite	ThO₂

Fossils

This region is too big or complex to display the fossil list, try looking at smaller subregions.

Other Databases

Wikipedia:	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balangoda
Wikidata ID:	Q804637

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Dissanayake, C. B., Nawaratne, S. W. (1981) The occurrence of gold in the gem beds of Sri Lanka. Economic Geology, 76 (3) 733-738 doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.76.3.733

Quick NavTop Mineral List Fossils Other Databases References

Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: August 27, 2026 01:19:56 Page updated: December 2, 2025 22:15:49

Go to top of page

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri LankaiRegional Level TypesBalangodaDivisional secretariat Ratnapura DistrictDistrict Sabaragamuwa ProvinceProvince Sri LankaCountry function showexplain() { $("#locexplain").toggle(); if (typeof movemap === "function") movemap(); }

Select Mineral List Type

Mineral List

Detailed Mineral List:

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

List of minerals for each chemical element

Fossils

Other Databases

References

Balangoda, Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka i
Regional Level Types
Balangoda Divisional secretariat
Ratnapura District District
Sabaragamuwa Province Province
Sri Lanka Country