Blue fire, p.32
Blue Fire, page 32
She simply nodded before she left Eric to his conversation and crossed over to the windows.
He’s coming home.
More than once this past week, she’d believed her dad gone forever. But as much as she rejoiced at finding him alive, she also fought down anger.
The Novoteras mine break-in had been her decision, hers and Mosi’s, and she had to live with that. But she might have decided differently if her dad had shared everything with her from the start. His decision to withhold crucial information, a selfish decision, had risked too many lives — including his own.
I won’t do the same. Not again.
She saw Eric’s reflection in the window before she felt his arm around her waist.
“Lillian is going to take care of everything. She promises an update on his condition by the time we land in London.”
She hugged him tight. “Thank you. First Mosi, now my dad … thank you.”
“It’s what I do, Alex. Although I’d be the first to say that when I boarded that flight a week ago, I never thought I’d be performing medical procedures in a hotel room or trying to save a man in the Serengeti.”
“Has it really only been a week?” She leaned back, releasing her hold.
He nodded. “And I don’t want another one like it any time soon.”
“I never did ask … when are you expected back in Nelson? How long can you stay?”
“For as long as you need me, Alex. I’ll take a leave if I have to…” He smiled. “Callaway can’t do anything worse than fire me.”
And then you can stay. But she kept this thought to herself.
“But…” His face turned serious. “I won’t do this again, Alex. I won’t be kept in the dark.”
“Believe me, it’s something I already decided,” she smiled. “I even have Nate on speed-dial.”
A number she never wanted to call again, knowing too that Mark had pushed her into the cop’s care, until the men behind Tabitha Metals were in handcuffs.
It’s not over.
EPILOGUE
São Paulo, Brazil
New Owner for Tabitha Metals
D. WALLACE
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tabitha Metals confirmed today that their fifteen South American mining properties have been sold to an undisclosed buyer. The privately held company was hit hard two months ago when thirty-seven men were killed in the Novoteras mine disaster and owner Shen Li was shot dead in his São Paulo penthouse. Allegations of Mr. Li’s involvement in organized crime have led many to believe the billionaire was killed by one of his own; however, police will confirm only that the murder investigation is ongoing.
No charges have yet been laid against Timothy Wong (Wong Tingzhe), the production engineer at Novoteras mine, despite reports that an explosion preceded the mine’s collapse. “We were saddened to learn that police suspect improperly detonated explosives were the cause of the cave-in that killed so many men, including mine manager Mr. Jorge Silva,” said company spokesman Alonso Quinto. “We continue to assert that every mine employee at Tabitha Metals, including Mr. Tim Wong, is fully qualified and properly trained in mine operational safety, and that this cave-in was an unfortunate accident.”
Park Fàn admired his ring with its perfectly cut ten-carat tanzanite.
Shen was such a fool.
It had taken only a few careful questions for Park to uncover the true reason behind Shen’s desperate hunt for Alex Graham. And only a few phone calls to recover the stolen tanzanite the woman had carelessly left in a Dubai safe deposit box. Park had known then that the woman was as valuable to him as she was to Shen, and he held her in his sights.
He’d thought the endeavour lost when the woman slipped through his fingers at the safari lodge. But the Novoteras mine collapse provided the answers he sought and made the woman irrelevant.
There was nothing he could have done to save Shen Li from the wrath of Chairman Jianyu Wei — made worse when Wei learned of Park’s involvement.
But only Park could deliver his tanzanite shipment.
He had intercepted the shipment as it left the Novoteras mine, diverting it to his own European-bound container ship. A bold theft of Wei’s precious cargo and a steep price for its return: Tabitha Metals.
In time, eyes would turn away from the Novoteras mine, and the unsubstantiated rumours of tanzanite would disappear. Tunnel Five would be cleared only when the Merelani Hills tanzanite supply dwindled to nothing, something Shen had failed to consider in his rush to the top.
Patience. It would deliver everything.
Author’s Note
Although this book is a work of fiction, it is based on scientific and historical fact. It also reflects current concerns in the gem trade regarding smuggling, a crime that often puts funds in the hands of those financing conflicts and terrorism.
The city names are accurate, as are the rivers and other geographical features. The Tanzanian safari lodge is based on similar lodges in the region, and it is not intended to represent a specific facility.
For ease of reading, the Chinese names are presented in the North American style of first-last name, rather than following the Chinese standard of last-first name. The exception is Tim Wong, whose given Chinese name Wong Tingzhe is correctly shown.
Tanzanite
At the heart of this story is tanzanite, a remarkable pleochroic gemstone prized for its simultaneous blue and violet colours and considered to be a thousand times rarer than diamonds. To date, this blue vanadium-bearing variety of zoisite has been found only within an estimated 8 km by 2 km region within the Merelani Hills of Northeastern Tanzania in the Pan-African Mozambique Belt. Within this region of the African Rift Valley, other rare gems such as tsvorite and kyanite are found together with garnet, ruby and sapphire deposits. The geology in the Rift Valley is unique, and tanzanite may never be found elsewhere in the world; however, several countries, including Brazil, exhibit similar mineral-rich geological regions.
The story of tanzanite’s discovery by a Maasai tribesman after a lightning-sparked fire is widely believed. Only after heating to 500–600 C for an extended period of time do the blue-violet colours become prominent. Most tanzanite found in the marketplace has been heat-treated, but naturally blue, untreated tanzanite is sometimes found, and its price is reflective of its rare occurrence.
The gem was introduced to the marketplace as Tanzanite by Tiffany and Company in the late 1960s. Estimates vary, but most geologists believe the supply of tanzanite in the Merelani Hills will be depleted in less than twenty-five years. The price per carat is sensitive to supply, and generally it has been rising as the tanzanite deposit diminishes; however, the opposite is equally true: when illegal miners dumped large quantities of the gem into the market in 2012–13, the price dropped dramatically.
The popularity of tanzanite has given rise to imitations. The detection methods for synthetic Fosterite, CoraniteTM and TanavyteTM as mentioned in this novel are accurate but incomplete. Nanosital®, a glass-ceramic, and blue-coloured glass have also been presented to unsuspecting buyers as tanzanite, but they are easily identified by professional jewellers and gemologists.
Tanzanite Tucson Protocols
The 2003 Tanzanite Tucson Protocols (TTP) arose from published reports that suggested a link between tanzanite smuggling and terrorism, one of them written by Daniel Pearl (see below). That link was never proven, but the suggestion pushed the tanzanite industry to implement a set of principles that ensure ethical mining practises and a legitimate route to market.
TanzaniteOne Mining Ltd. is one of the largest stakeholders in the Merelani Hills mining block, and it is committed to the Tucson Protocols. It and other mining companies support the Tanzanite Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mandate that includes adherence to the TTP and improvement of lives in the community.
Both the TanzaniteOne Mining Ltd. and the Tanzanite Foundation websites provide a good starting point for accurate information on tanzanite mining in Tanzania. For readers who visit Tanzania, the Tanzanite Experience offers a unique opportunity to walk the route of tanzanite from mine to market.
The Tanzanian government banned the export of gemstones weighing above one gram (five carats) in 2010 and is committed to local processing of tanzanite, a source of employment for the people. Despite these efforts, over 80% of rough tanzanite was exported in 2016, partly due to the lack of internal skill in processing gems.
To counter the problem, the Tanzania Gemological Centre in Arusha opened in 2015 to provide gemology training in gem cutting and polishing, jewellery design, and manufacturing technology in collaboration with the Tanzania Mineral Dealers Association (TAMIDA). Through the fundraising efforts of Arusha Gem Fair (AGF) Committee, forty-seven women had graduated from the seven-month program, and another eighteen were enrolled as of May 2017.
The GIA
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has operated since 1931 and is considered a world authority in gems. It informs and educates through research, and its standards in gemstone, pearl and diamond grading serve to protect buyers.
Gemstone Fingerprint
The promising gemstone fingerprint research of Dr. D.G. (Graham) Pearson, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Resources at the University of Alberta and his colleagues, began with diamonds and has now extended to rubies. The “fingerprint” is a measure of a gemstone’s isotope and trace element levels, which differ depending on the geological environment in which the gem formed. This research lays the foundation for accurate provenance of diamonds and coloured gemstones, an important factor in the ethical gem trade. Dr. Pearson has not yet investigated tanzanite, but he believes that this research would also apply to that gemstone.
Daniel Pearl
The kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl by Pakistani al-Qaeda terrorists in 2002 shocked the world. His investigation into al-Qaeda’s use of smuggled tanzanite gems to finance terrorism included testimony heard after the U.S. embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya. The Daniel Pearl Foundation, established shortly after his death, strives to continue his work and provides access to his articles.
Brazilian Paraíba Tourmaline Smuggling Operation
The premise of the illegal Novoteras mine openly operating is drawn from the headlines. While diamonds, sapphires, tanzanite and other valuable gems are often stolen from mines and sold abroad, bolder operations actually run mines. A Paraíba tourmaline smuggling operation in Brazil did just that, with the help of a state deputy who licensed the mine but never reported its production. The tourmaline gems, cut and polished in Brazil under false documents, were shipped to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Houston and Las Vegas for sale to unsuspecting dealers. Only after a six-year investigation into the mine were the complex web of offshore accounts and owners unravelled, resulting in arrest warrants in 2015 for eight men and seized assets valued at $15 million USD.
Chilean Mine Disaster
The Novoteras air shaft used to rescue their miners is based on the events of the 2010 Chilean mine disaster. The collapse of the San Jose copper-mine near Copiapó in Chile’s Atacama desert held the world’s attention in 2010, when thirty-three men were trapped seven hundred metres (2,300 feet) underground for sixty-nine days. More than two thousand media employees are believed to have provided nonstop coverage of the rescue, which mobilized equipment and experts to drill three holes into the mine shaft: a five-inch diameter hole to deliver food and water and communicate with the men, and two wider holes that would allow the men to be winched to the surface. Miraculously, all thirty-three men survived, a first for a mining accident that saw workers trapped for so long.
Pascua-Lama Mining Project (Chile-Argentina)
The Novoteras mine, the Valternas mine and other aspects of the Tabitha Metals company business are fictional, but the nature of the mines is not. References to other mines, including the Cruzeiro mine and the Pascua-Lama gold mines, are accurate.
The Pascua-Lama mining project straddles the Chile-Argentina border in the Atacama region of the Andes Mountains, one of the richest mineral belts in the world. But at an elevation of 5,200 metres (17,060 feet), it is also one of the driest and most fragile environments. It is dense with glaciers that supply the rivers of Huasco Valley, which support the Diaguita indigenous community.
In this sensitive region, owner Barrick Gold, a Canadian mining company, originally proposed an open-pit mine to extract gold, copper and silver. Fear of mercury, cyanide and sulphuric acid in the mine’s wastewater runoff required Barrick to build a water management system to divert runoff through a system of canals. Barrick’s unfortunate decision to start mine construction in 2013 before that water system was completed resulted in the collapse of a canal that triggered a mudslide and caused the diversion of runoff into a protected area. That mistake levelled a $16 million USD fine and twenty-five charges against Barrick and led to a court-ordered re-evaluation of the project.
Barrick was swift to clean up the affected area and proposed changes that would further reduce environmental impact; however, the project remained contentious. In 2017, Barrick sold a 50% share in Pascua-Lama to Shandong Gold, a state-owned Chinese gold mining company. As of January 2018, the Chilean government had ordered the closure of the operation, which Barrick plans to appeal.
It is important to note that Argentina remains supportive of the Pascua-Lama project, but approximately 75% of the gold deposit lies on the Chilean side. As a result of this project, all mining activities in the Atacama Desert region are now subject to intense scrutiny.
Acknowledgements
Blue Fire was an ambitious project that would never have succeeded without the help of many experts who gave generously of their time.
I am grateful to Dr. D.G. (Graham) Pearson, the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Resources at the University of Alberta, for sharing his gem fingerprint research with me. From the first moment I heard him speak about this cutting-edge research, I knew it had to be part of this novel. I wish to thank him for providing me with specific relevant research and discussing whether his techniques could be used to fingerprint tanzanite.
Dr. Laura Lee Copeland has generously worked with me on both Alex Graham novels, advising on medical procedures, terminology and the life of an ER doctor. I value her patient instruction, willingness to read and reread draft medical scenes, and her creativity when challenged by this story’s timeline! She makes my detailed medical scenes possible, but more importantly, she breathes life into Dr. Eric Keenan. All errors introduced during the final edit of the medical scenes are my own.
I wish to thank G.B. Henderson, who was instrumental in providing insight into the character of Shen Li. Over several weeks, he collaborated with colleagues from China to answer my questions about Shen. Together they contributed to Shen’s background, mannerisms and ideals, and provided key information for Shen’s interaction with Park Fàn and others.
My early readers, long-time friends Kelly Pearson and Don Reid, provide valuable feedback that I couldn’t do without. They have both worked with me since my debut novel, and I trust their instincts for good storytelling and compelling characters.
Kelly encouraged the relationship between Eric and Alex, and she is the reason Eric returned in this novel. She inspires me to create interesting characters and to explore their lives, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
Don’s scientific perspective and geology expertise are critical to the stories I write, and he is responsible for the inclusion of maps in my books. He pushes me to tighten my storylines, and I thank him for setting a high bar.
Special thanks to Karen Copeland and Madalena Patacho, who jumped in with ideas when a dinner party turned into an impromptu brainstorming session. For me it was a fortuitous turn, because Karen salvaged a difficult scene that had kept me up too many nights. And Madalena, the ceiling fan is for you!
Many thanks to Allister Thompson, a talented editor who stepped in to provide help with the final draft. His thoughtful comments contributed to a better story, and the manuscript benefited from his meticulous copy edit. I also wish to thank editor Britanie Wilson for giving the manuscript its final polish.
My thanks also to Margaret Kernaghan, who created the maps of Brazil and Tanzania. A true professional, she makes the process effortless. Her maps are works of art, and I look forward to continuing to include them in the Alex Graham thrillers.
The Alex Graham series exists because of my editor, Kit Schindell. Her expert guidance turns my drafts into finished manuscripts, but just as importantly, her unwavering support gives me the confidence to push forward. Thank you for taking this path with me!
I also wish to thank Robin Harlick for her mentorship, and I am grateful for her continued support.
My journey into the world of thriller writing began twelve years ago, and throughout it all my husband Bill has offered encouragement and support. Each novel I write is my gift to him.
About the Author
Katherine Prairie brings her own experience as an international geologist to the Alex Graham thriller series. Thirst, the first book in the series, was shortlisted for the 2017 Whistler Independent Book Awards.
She is an award-winning presenter, and the author of The Essential PROC SQL Handbook for SAS Users, published by SAS Press in 2005.
To learn more about her, please visit www.katherineprairie.com
