Ruby mining in Jagdalek Afghanistan
Trip Start
Jul 23, 2006
1
Trip End
Jul 26, 2006
Jagdalek,
Afghanistan
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Soubiraa had to the Panjshir valley in Afghanistan during summer 2006.
This fieldtrip was part of the wider gemological expedition supported
by AIGS and Gubelin gemological laboratories with the help of ICA to
Central Asia.
For an easier navigation I divided it in five parts:
1) Introduction:
A rapid presentation of Afghanistan gem wealth, and of the potential
given by the free software "Google Earth" to prepare or illustrate
gemological expeditions
2 ) Travel by road from Peshawar (Pakistan) to Kabul through the Kaiber pass.
3 ) Visit to the Panjshir valley emerald mines (June 2006).
4) Visit to the Jagdalek ruby mining area (July 2006)
In Jagdalek the official
ruby production stopped
2 years ago. The Afghan
governement is currently
searching for investors
to work the mines. Illegal
mining looks to be present
in the area keeping a week
ruby production to find
its way to the Peshawar
gem market. Rubies are found
in Jagdalek from marbles.
Mines are not there underground,
they are huge trenches.
We visited some of these
mining trenches in the Khalwat
area as you can see on the
numerous photos on this
report.
5) Special Thanks, interesting links and bibliography.
