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Emerald Mining in Colombia
The Muzo emerald mine region is hot and humid, surrounded by tick tropical vegetation, at approx. 750 meters above sea level.
At the official mines, excavators, hydraulic jacks, and dynamite are also used in the open air to cut huge swaths into a mountainside. A large quantity of water is then released from a reservoir above to wash the area just worked free of debris. This allows the loosening up of the emerald-bearing material (carbonaceous limestone, shale, salt) and exposes the calcite veins. At this point, all the mechanized equipment is stopped, and miners armed with picks and shovels work this material in search of emerald crystals. It is estimated that during this process, a mine gets approximately 35% of the emerald production, with the rest being destroyed or streamed down the mountain below. However, there are also miners in shafts and tunnels below the ground who recuperate emeralds for the mine leasing company. The rest is smuggled out (40%, according to officials), and another 10% is divided between the crew as part of the contract with the mine officials.
When the emerald bearing has been searched thoroughly by the mine, the discarded tailing is then bulldozed or streamed down to the Itoco river below, where hundreds of "Guaqueros" ("treasures hunters") pan and prospect these murky water for emerald of any grade, usually of low quality. It is the quest of being at the right moment at the right time, the lure of instant wealth, or perhaps the mystical calling of the black earth below, all of these and many other reasons that motivate men, women, children, and elderly to dwell and work in unstable, unhealthy and dangerous conditions for many weeks at the time.
In the towns surrounding the mining areas, emerald rough markets are held every weekend. It is the occasion to move the findings from the previous weeks and get hard-earned cash. Rough emeralds ("Esmeralda en bruto") change hands and are bought and sold quickly. The official output of the mine is instead flown by helicopter. No matter who buys the rough, no matter the transportation means, every single rough emerald finds its way to Bogota', the capital, where it will be cut, oiled, and sold again.