FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jesse Fisher]

Given the wonderful things that have been coming from Afghanistan for the past 30 or so years, I would hardly call it "unexplored." The pegmatites of areas such as Mawi, Paprok and Pech have produced some of the finest kunzite, elbaite, and other pegmatite minerals known. The marbles of Sar-e-Sang are world famous for lapis and other minerals such as hackmanite, afghanite, sodalite, etc. The ruby deposits near Jagdelak have long been known. The political turbulence over the same time period has undoubtedly limited exploration and development of mineral deposits, and I am sure that there is far more waiting to be discovered. If peace should ever come to that troubled region I think the wealth of minerals and gems that would be discovered would be mind-boggling.

[Peter]

Ikram
Thank you for posting the images here as well. They are excellent.
I received a few this summer and a few many years ago from friends who visited.
A lot of work has been done since the first images but still, the Mawi pegmatite is so huge!
Indeed Jesse, although these mines have produced exceptionally fine specimens, and what a variety!!! the amount of work involved is very high.

To me, the Himalaya Mine is one of the richest pegmatites, continuous pockets with great specimens. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, of what I have seen, only a few veins in the Braldu valley could be judged similar in appearance, but here with numerous pockets of aquamarine. Many others, few pockets, sometimes with fantastic specimens, but overall, what we see at mineral shows is la creme de la creme. Most are broken shards, pieces, rounded, broken just like in the image.

Lots for sale in Pakistan are usually a few hundred kilos of rocks with perhaps a couple of fine specimens. Mining is largely paid by the bulk, i.e. cutting, carving rough.

Peter

[Jesse Fisher]

Peter,
As you know, I am familiar with what a mine will produce. From the Rogerley we get 99% wholesale, and a few top pieces each year. We mostly pay for operating the mine by selling wholesale quality. I know this is how most mines are. The top specimens are very rare. The Himalaya pegmatite was exceptional because of the number of pockets and high quality of many specimens. I do not think that many collectors really appreciate how rare the best specimens are.

[Peter]

Hi Jesse
Very true and I think one must be involved in mining for years in one location to be able to realize it. Over the years, we both saw many pockets in the Himalaya Mine besides other mines in the world. At Malmberget I would say 99.9 % of the pockets are nothing special and the rare good pockets may have a couple of good specimens, the rest bulk.
Then during almost 200 years of mining a one to 12 million tons of magnetite a year besides millions of tons of wall rock, every decade or two perhaps one incredible pocket is encountered and some specimens saved.

I saw many huge lots of material from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Usually there are a few nice specimens in each, some none. Much easier to go to Munchen or Tucson and you will see the best! And although the price is sometimes high, maybe twice the carving rough...... Hundreds of kilos of broken shards have been sold for half or sometimes almost the same price per gram, kilo.

Jordi Fabre had a superb large Pyrosmalite from Sweden at Munchen last year. Yes, it was a few k, but thy to mine there! You may spend M bucks to even find the vein!

I was involved in mining in the Urals, in Volodarsk and some other interesting gem pegmatites. Huge amount of work, pumping and mining costs are exhorbitant. I treasure my specimens even more now!!!

[Pete Modreski]

Ikram, I also wanted to add my thanks for your posting these fine pictures of the mines, minerals, and workers. The hillsides certainly are honeycombed with tunnels! I was impressed at how snow-white some of the tunnels appeared to be inside--it looked like this was in a pure white marble, but I presume that it must be all feldspars of the pegmatites, just lacking in any dark minerals. Thank you again,
Pete Modreski

[GoldenKing]

Ikram Jadoon you are Great................................