Over 4,000 Carats of Panjshir Emeralds Sold for 6.3 Million Afghanis
The Panjshir provincial authority announced that 4,126 carats of emeralds extracted from mines in the province were sold in an official tender for a total of 6,372,517 Afghanis.
The media office of the Panjshir provincial authority, in a statement, said that this quantity of emeralds was obtained from various mining areas and sold after undergoing the tender process. The statement emphasized that the sale process was conducted transparently.
According to the information provided, the emerald extraction process in Panjshir has improved compared to the past, and in the last month alone, mining licenses were issued to 16 individuals. Panjshir is one of the mountainous provinces of Afghanistan, known regionally for its emeralds.
The statement also noted that alongside emerald extraction, efforts to activate and expand the mining of other minerals, including lead, iron, ruby, and turquoise, continue. However, experts consistently stress the need for independent oversight and accountable management in the mining sector to ensure that revenues are transparently used for the benefit of local residents and the national economy.
The Taliban administration had previously spoken about increased mining revenues; however, detailed information regarding how these revenues are spent and the share allocated to local communities has not been comprehensively made available to the public.
