World

Panjshir Emerald Auction Draws Global Buyers Amid Mining Hardships

By Rob McBride

In a packed hall at the Panjshir provincial government offices, an auction of emeralds is underway with brisk bidding. Buyers from Kabul and abroad have examined small piles of roughly cut green stones, using phone flashlights to assess quality. Gem merchant Ghulam Mustafa Habibi told Al Jazeera that Panjshir emeralds attract many buyers worldwide because of their high quality, which explains their higher price compared with other emeralds. By the end of the auction, nearly 3,000 carats had been sold – the 23rd such sale this year. The total value of emeralds sold in Afghanistan is estimated at nearly 400 million Afghanis ($6.12 million), a steep rise from last year.

For a country impoverished by years of war and sanctions, precious‑stone trade is a valuable resource, especially in northeastern Afghanistan. Mining official Muhammad Aman Rezaii said more than 15,000 people are employed in Panjshir’s mining sector. On the valley’s steep hillsides, miners work underground for hours to earn a living. Rezaii noted that the region has little industry beyond mining and that more than 2,000 potential mining sites have been identified.

Since the Taliban took power in 2021, they have signed deals with dozens of investors, mainly Chinese, Russian and Iranian, to mine gemstones and other minerals. The World Bank reports that state revenues rose 22 percent year‑on‑year in April and May, helped by auctions of mines and other resources such as oil and precious minerals.

The gemstone sector still lacks international investment and expertise. Panjshir Governor Hafiz Muhammad Agha Hakim told Al Jazeera that proposals exist to establish an international market for Afghanistan’s precious minerals, particularly in Kabul, and to bring in processing machinery so that minerals can be processed and standardised locally before export. He added that there is currently no standardised centre or proper processing facility.

Back in a dusty mine, miner Mahdi works in near‑total darkness, wielding a crowbar while a friend hammers the surface. He laments the lack of modern equipment, saying they only have basic tools such as shovels, pickaxes and drills. Rezaii said miners need proper equipment to make their work easier, safer and more professional, benefiting both the miners and the wider community. The area is vulnerable to landslides, avalanches, flooding and falling rocks, making the conditions extremely difficult and demanding.