Urban Rocks’ Gemstone Sculptures

WORDS Tracy Greenwood

Urban Rocks’ gemstone sculptures find homes all over the world.

Terry Ravenscroft had been mining gemstones since 1987 when, in the 1990s, he unearthed a 36-tonne jasper obelisk. He offered it to a Japanese client who was looking for boulders for a garden he was creating. He bought Big Mother, as they called it, in its rough form and it became the largest gemstone ever moved between two continents.

The discovery and sale of Big Mother were to inspire Terry to start his company Urban Rocks, which produces gemstone boulders and functional items for use in- and outdoors to a local and international client base.

Which gemstone boulders are the most popular?

Red striped jasper and sodalite.

Do you only deal in boulders or do you use the stones to make functional items?

I have considered furniture, but I like to retain the natural shape and feel of the boulder. If it lends itself to being a functional piece, we will gently coax it in that direction and make, for example, a pool bench.

What is involved in the mining and polishing process?

The boulders are usually found in reefs in the Northern Cape. They are excavated and the most attractive pieces are transported to Cape Town, where they are ground smooth, without losing the basic nature of the rock. This is followed by the polishing process, which starts with a coarse diamond disc and continues using finer and finer discs until the stone is fully polished.

How long does it take to make one of these rock sculptures?

It all depends on the size of the boulder. The 14-tonne Gift took us 15 months to complete. Siyabonga Mhambi is responsible for most of this amazing work.

How much do they cost?

It depends on a number of factors, but they sell for about US$5 per kilogram overseas.