August 12, 2009 – A Kenyan mob killed renowned Scottish geologist Campbell Bridges during a dispute over mining in a national park on August 11, police said.
Bridges, 71, died near the town of Voi in southern Kenya, where he owned several gemstone mines.
Bridges is credited with discovering the green Tsavorite gemstone in the 1960s, according to the New York-based International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA).
Tsavorite is a mineral belonging to the colourful gemstone group of the garnets, the ICA says.
Bridges also helped introduce the deep-blue gemstone Tanzanite to the international jewellery market, according to Pavel Sokolov, the ICA’s representative to Russia.
Bridges was Tiffany and Co.’s official consultant geologist on Tanzanite.
