Hi, I'm a semi-retired jewelry designer/artist who spends 1/2 of each year in remote parts of the world establishing medical clinics for the indigenous populations. While with these people I try to discern whether or not they have access/usage of gem minerals in their area and if they wish to market same. If so I try to help them connect with buyers in the US and/or work with these minerals myself. For the past 6 years I've worked primarilay with Mayan indians in Chiapas who mine rare red and green AMBER and the Huatecs, who mine Opal. Consequently I've designed and created mane amber and opal pieces in this period. I also try to wholesale some of this material-cut and uncut.