A Status Report On Gemstones From Afghanistan
Afghanistan is one of the many countries where various gemstones can be mined. The mined gemstones vary in size, color, and other gem characteristics when examined under gemological microscopes. Gemologists use gemological microscopes in classifying and identifying many gemstones. Gemological microscopes are also used by gemologists and gem artists in the cutting and designing of these gemstones.
In the original article, it was found out that various high-quality precious stones like emeralds, rubies, lapis lazuli, and many others were found and mined in many areas of Afghanistan. Although Afghanistan is a country constantly in political unrest, mining and exporting of these high quality stones were still made.
The article also discusses the topography of Afghanistan, citing areas where large deposits of gemstones are being mined. It was cited in the article that emeralds were found and mined in the Panjsher Vallery while in the Nuristan region of Afghanistan, pegmatite gems like aquamarine, kunzite and tourmaline have been located. In the southern portion of Afganistan’s Sorobi district, rubies were also mined.
The Panjsher emeralds of Afghanistan are a rich, dark green in color. These emeralds are mined in the Panjsher Valley which is in the northeast part of Kabul. This area of Afghanistan is very dangerous although going to the area is easy to do. The emeralds are mined at an elevation of 3,000 to 4,000 km which will require miners to walk up the slopes in a 30-40 degree angle. Climbing is made difficult by the fact that there are no mule or horse trails.
In order to identify the host rock for the emeralds, miners use dynamites. After bombing the site, they would dig pits with the use of picks and shovels to extract the crystals. The Mikeni and Darkheni mines produce Panjsher emeralds which have the best color and quality when examined using gemological microscopes.
A few of the crystals and cut stones, according to the article, were studied and with the use of gemological microscopes, these specimens were found to have physical and optical properties that are normally found in emeralds.
Aside from emeralds, hundreds of thousands of carats of good, gem-quality pregmatites, tourmaline and fine kunzite can also be found in some areas of Afghanistan. These stones emerged from the Kolum district, northeast of Kabul in the active mines of Mawi, Suraj, Nilaw, and Korgal.
