KABUL (TOLOnews): The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has announced that since the beginning of 1404 (solar calender), 18,000 carats of Panjshir emeralds have been sold through five rounds of bidding.
The ministry stated that the total value of these emeralds is estimated at 1.1 million USD and added that the sale process was conducted transparently.
Homayoun Afghan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, told TOLOnews: “Since the beginning of 1404, five rounds of bidding for Panjshir emeralds have been held, during which approximately 18,000 carats of emeralds worth 1.1 million USD were sold.”
In addition to the sale of emeralds, the ministry also reported the discovery of new emerald mine sites in the Pariyan district of Panjshir and said that technical teams will soon be dispatched to conduct detailed surveys of these areas.
“In the Pariyan district of Panjshir province, the existence of mineral have been observed in several areas. The Ministry of Mines plans to send technical survey teams to the sites for a detailed assessment. After the survey, God willing, we plan to offer the next areas for contract as well.” Added Afghan.
Meanwhile, economic experts emphasize that the legal and transparent extraction of mines especially precious stones can positively impact national revenue and job creation.
Mohammad Asif Stanekzai, an economic analyst, told TOLOnews: “If these mines are extracted in a standardized manner and in accordance with international criteria, they can fortunately ensure national revenue. Afghanistan can rely on its precious stones to finance both its national and specialized budgets.”
According to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, so far 600 official mining licenses have been issued for emerald mining, and more than 15,000 people are employed in various sectors of the emerald industry.