Emeralds from Asia Pakistan, Afghanistan and India Historically Significant Deposits?
Dietmar Schwarz Though contributing only a few percent of to trade routes such as the Silk Road traversed these and day's world emerald output, Asia once played a valleys. With the road from Pakistan to Gaston Giuliani role as a major producer of emeralds, and the Afghanistan running alongside the Swat River on countries continent's future is promising as deposits from and the Mingora outcropping in plain view from with a localities such as Afghanistan are rediscovered the road, it is likely that these deposits had been green future and developed. Asia's green potential never exploited for years. fades far into the recesses of the collector's mind, as fine and interesting specimens are repeatedly The Mingora District brought to the market. The Islamia Mine in Mingora was the first mining area to be developed after the modern discovery PAKISTAN - Known in Antiquity? of the deposits of the Swat Valley. Little is known Pakistan has several emerald districts: the Swat about the early mining phases, though government Valley in the Northwestern Frontier Province; documents indicate that claims were granted to the Malakand and Mohmand areas (Pranghar, individuals in Karachi and Peshawar and were Gandao, Tsapari, Zankhae, Tora Tigga, Bucha, renewed in three-year terms until 1969. Though Khanori); Bajaur Agency (Amankot, Barang no official production figures were released for Turghao, Maimola) and the Khaltaro area in the that time period, emerald mining was obviously Gilgit district. promising, and the mines were put under control Pakistan's most important emerald region is by of the government run Pakistan Industrial far the Swat Valley. Situated 200 kilometers Development Corporation. This corporation was northeast of Peshawar, Swat is home to a number responsible for mining activity until 1972, when of localities: Mingora, Charbagh, Alpurai, the Sarhad Development Authority took over, Makhad, Malam, Gujarkili, Bazarkot and Bar passing control in 1979 to the new government Kotkai. The largest mines are scattered around agency, Gemstone Corporation ofPakistan (GCP). the northeastern edge of the town of Mingora The GCP developed several regions, discovering (Islamia, Farooq, Correls Trench, Mine 2 and new emerald deposits in Malakand and Mohmand Mine 3). Gujarkili is the second most important as well as the Gujarkili deposit in Swat Valley. In mining district in the Swat Valley. the 1980's, the largest share of Pakistani emerald Swat emerald deposits are generally cited as production came from the Mingora Mine. having been discovered in 1958; however, The GCP was responsible for emerald exploration, scientists in Nancy (France), researching the mining, processing and sales, and quickly learned source of antique jewelry, have found that an that managing an emerald mine is not an easy task, emerald set in a Gallic-Roman earring exhibits and the corporation folded in 1994. A new mining an oxygen isotopic composition known only for license has since been granted to a private compa emeralds from Swat Valley. To many, this dis ny, but at the moment, the Mingora Mine is offi covery proves that Swat Valley emeralds have cially closed as legal issues' are resolved. been mined since antiquity (Giuliani et al, 2000). In the beginning of the 1990's, the Khazana de Though ancient area mining activities are un posit in the Shamozai district was discovered, but documented, we can assume that these emerald it has not been mined on a large scale. deposits have been known and exploited for gen erations. At time of Alexander the Great (about 300 BC), Pakistan and Afghanistan, including the The Gujarkili Deposit Kabul, Swat and Peshawar Valleys, were part of Discovered in 1981 by GCP geologists, the the wealthy kingdom of Gandhara. Extensive Gujarkili deposit is 24 kilometers east-northeast
60 of M ingor a in the valley of a tr ib utary of the Swa t River. According to official estimates, 12,000 carats, a sizable qua nt ity, of gem-qua lity emera lds were produced between 1982 and 1987. In the beginning of October 1997, m ining ri ght s were gra nted by the Direct orate of Indu stries . Commerce and Min eral De velopment of Frontier Pro vince to the pri vately run Balous Gem Min ing . Inc. The com pany immediately began min ing, and w hen the author s vi sited the site in the m idd le of 2000 , a staff of fifty people , including geo logists and min ing engi neers were wor king a 20-hectare area. Today, shafts and tunn els are bored int o the mountainside with a system atic underground operation repl acing the strip mining. Though the comp any does not release prod ucti on figures, the deposit is obviously economical ly intere sting. The mine's enti re produ ction is sold on the American market. Gujarki li emeralds 6 1 Schwarz D., Giuliani Gaston. Emeralds from Asia : Pakistan, Afghanistan and India : historically significant deposits. In : Giuliani Gaston (ed.), Jarnot M. (ed.), Neumeier G. (ed.), Ottaway,T. (ed.), Sinkankas J. (ed.), Staebler G. (ed.). Emerald : the most valuable beryl : the most precious gemstone. East Hampton : Lapis International, 2002, p. 60-63. (Extra Lapis English ; 2). ISBN 0-971-5371-1-9