Afghanistan Gemstones Mines

Afghanistan Gemstones Mines

This article will provide you an insight of the gemstones trade in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is rich in precious and semi-precious gemstones. It is believed to be producing quality gemstones for ages. The minerals specimens from Afghanistan are of high quality. Afghanistan is well known for Emerald, Lapis Lazuli, Ruby, Sapphires, Tourmaline, Aquamarine, Kunzite, Topaz, Garnets, Fluorite and Quartz.

These mines are run by local tribe’s men who live near these mines. The gems are extracted from the mines in traditional old ways. The tribe’s men use hand drills and explosives to extract the gemstones. Sometimes even high explosives are used. Use of explosives is very common in mines across Pakistan and Afghanistan. The main reason is it is cheap and easily available in the market. Sometimes even high explosives are used to extract the gemstones from the mines. This technique results in poor quality. This is the reason lots of the gemstones from Afghanistan have fractures.

In bad weather less work is carried out in these mines. Due to lack of facilities and proper equipment Afghanistan is producing less gemstone. The other reason for the less production of the gemstones is ongoing war in Afghanistan. Most of the gemstones mined from Afghanistan are taken to the market to Namak Mandi Market located at Peshawar, North Western Provice of Pakistan now known as Pakhtunistan. According to our survey more than 90% of the gemstones are sent to Namak Mandi Market.

It is believed that in Namak Mandi Market the low quality of the gemstones is cut to fulfill the domestic needs of the market, whereas the high quality is exported out of the country. Some of the Internationals survey does say that the reason Afghanistan is not getting the major share out of the profit. According to our analysis and survey Afghanistan do gets its equal shares as the local miners from Afghanistan are much more interested in selling the rough gemstones.

In order to do business in Afghanistan gemstones what we suggest is to keep good relations with the local tribesmen and local dealers. As they are of great help to provide authentic information about the gemstones mines locations. The reason why we say this is a simple question. Who runs these mines? The answer to this question is Local Tribes Men.

Recently the government took some initiative to pass new Mining Laws and regulation. They believe when these Laws will be implemented this will attract foreign investments and will improve the gem trade. UNDP is playing a vital role in empowering the people with education in cutting and polishing. As mentioned earlier Afghanistan has the potential to contribute a wide variety of gemstones in International Gem Trade because of the high demand of the coloured stones in North America, East Asia, Middle East and Europe.

Afghanistan Gemstones Mines

There are four main gemstones in Afghanistan that are producing gemstones. The names of the areas are as follows:-

Panjshir Valley:-
Panjshir is also spelled PanjSher, actually its two words Panj and Sher. Panj means five and Sher means lions. It is located in North Central of Afghanistan. Panjshir is well known for Emerald mining. It is not known exactly when Emerald was first mined in this area. Pliny the Elder commented on gemstones from Panjshir in early 1st Century.

Jegdalek
Jegdalek produces a wide variety of coloured stones such as rubies and blue Sapphires. Jegdalek Ruby Mine located in the Sorobi region, between Jalalabad and Kabul Province, Afghanistan.

Badakhshan
Badakhshan is known for Lapis Lazuli

Nuristan
Nuristan produces a wide variety of semi precious gemstones like tourmaline, Kunzite, Aquamarine, Spodumene and Beryl.

From:
http://www.gemstonesmarket.com/afghanistan-gemstones-mines
Afghanistan Gemstones Mines

Cut and Rough Set as pictured in Gems and Gemology

- Maquar, Afghanistan -
This is the set that was pictured in Gems and Gemology when the amethyst was first mentioned in the literature. Own a famous specimen! Stone weighs 10 carats. Cluster consits of all doubly terminated amethyst crystals.




Afghanistan Gemstones Mines