Afghanistan: beyond the headlines​

Afghanistan and gemstones have been inextricably linked for 6500 years and the country remains rich in precious and semiprecious gemstone deposits.

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Lapis lazuli, mined in the Hindu Kush since the Neolithic Period, was transported along the ancient trade routes to Mesopotamia, Ur, Egypt and India. Precious gems including emeralds, ruby and sapphires are mined in Afghanistan, and semi-precious lapis-lazuli, tourmaline, aquamarine, kunzite, topaz, garnets, fluorite and varieties of quartz are also worked. Afghanistan is also a source of good quality mineral specimens sought by collectors. Gemstone mining in Afghanistan is typically an artisanal activity, carried out by people living in villages surrounding the mines.

Further reading: Mineral Resources in Afghanistan