This paper examines the livelihoods of artisanal ruby and sapphire miners in Madagascar, with a special emphasis on how market factors influence operators. For these stones specifically, the link between miner vulnerability, artificial treatment and buyer presence is examined. Vulnerabilities related to miners’ livelihoods arise because of the specific mining and processing practices related to these stones, as well as other factors such as corruption, rural marginalization and poverty. The paper also investigates alternative livelihoods and the idea of including and accepting the dynamic buyer into the ‘mining community’.