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 Post subject: Emeralds from Shigar valley
PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:24 am 
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Just found out from Pakistan that gem quality emeralds are now being mined in shigar valley in the Gilgit batistan province where all the aquas come from..no gem emeralds have really been mined there historically from what I understand but lately some real nice gem quality ones have been coming out..just passing along what I heard

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:11 am 
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thanks for that, scoops like these are always good to hear.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:20 am 
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Yea..my dude offered me a couple the other day..nothing great but I asked about the locale since i had never heard of emerald from that place..made sure they were not Swat or something..he said it's unusual location and they never really see many from there but he has seen some nice gemmy cuttable ones coming out lately..he called it an "unusual location"

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:09 am 
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You might have been shown some of the low-end stone AG. Sounds like material one of my business partners viewed about a month ago. Could be separate deposits but I doubt it. As usual with stone from these areas the best ones are being distributed via family and clan connections. Nothing too large though. The biggest are around 3-3.5ct but they are the exception. Good clarity though and top colour. My partner declared the colour equal to the best Colombian stone. I don't think they are coming from Shigar though, that's probably what your contact was alluding to with his "unusual location" comment. I'll try and pick some up in the next couple of weeks.

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 Post subject: Emerald New Find in Pakistan
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:23 pm 
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I was at the mine on october 2009. We have made the deal with the local villagers on Mining the same month. There were two deposits found in 1992 and GIA even did a report on those two deposits. The 3rd one is found in April 2009. We aquired almost all mined and exported them to San Diego. We presented the stone in Tucson Gem and Mineral Show 2010 at peablo. GIA is doing an article in comming weeks. There are some pictures of the mine posted on my website but not all the pictures. There is good size stones comming too but mistly crystals in matrix. Smythsonian Musium was interested to acquire in big specimen from us and looking for donnor.


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:42 pm 
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nope they are from shigar valley, gems africa..like mercar has even seen..i get samples from many of the locations in pakistan and afgahnistan from same guy so when he tells me of another location not really known i tend to take his word for it..the stones i was offered, well actually stone, was not gem grade but it was huge..he said some gem ones were coming out..

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 Post subject: New find
PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:20 pm 
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I went to Shigar Valley Too. Actually i was staying with the ex ruller of shigar valley. There is not one specific deposit. The Deposit i am talking to you about is the only one which is being mine commercially by us. I saw some material from other deposits in shigar valley as well. If you remember recently there was a find on China Side as well. Ask your guy if he is talking about Khaltaro Emerald find which is between Shigar and Nagar. I will post few new pictures for your information.
Thanks though for bringing this news out;;;


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:42 am 
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Pics of Khaltaro stone would be great. Sounds like we are talking about different places AG, they haven't found anything large at this one. Seems as though some new geo expertise has arrived in the area! The find I'm referring to took place no longer than 3-4 months ago.

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PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:16 am 
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are you referring to large as in gem grade? the one i was shown was just spec. grade..from the sound of it gemsafrica..sounds like there are quite a few locales..hopefully the one you know about can produce some sweet clean gem grade ones to add to the supply

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 Post subject: Shigar Valley Emeralds
PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 11:25 am 
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Amethyst Guy! Its true what you have heard.

Emerald are being mined now in different places in Gilgit Baltistan Province. There are some places Which I want to mention.
Testun, Dassu, Tahir Abad and in Guyungo (in shigar area) new deposits of emeralds have been discovered.

In Gilgi, Hunza and in Shigar Ruby, pargasite, Spinel, rutile Quartz, Topaz (golden and white), Pollucite, Morganite, Aquamarine, Apatite and EMERALD (NEW FIND).

In Tormiq mine, haramosh mountains a new deposit of emerald has been found.

In Khaltaro area, haramosh mountain a new deposit of emerald has been found, where facetable emeralds have been found.

In Nisolo area, shigar valley, a new deposit of emerald have been found.

In Jalal abad area (not afghani jalal abad), approx. 60 km far than Shigar valley top emerald both in color and clarity have been mined as sample but regular mining has not yet been started.

Gem Africa! Please do not say that people may allude by saying emeralds are found from un-usual area as people living in that area doing gem business say what they see and they can say exactly than any other. Also if you want some of Shigar valley Emeralds as you said above, you can take both of the (pictured below) pieces of Gilgit Baltistan at $2000/- only.

The below photos of emeralds are from Khaltaro mine, haramosh mountains, Gilgit Baltistan.

Image
100-ct rough emerald with partial hex
Image

Image
emerald on matrix with full hex, but head is chipped a little.
Image


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 Post subject: Re: Shigar Valley Emeralds
PostPosted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 1:43 am 
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salmangems85 wrote:
Gem Africa! Please do not say that people may allude by saying emeralds are found from un-usual area as people living in that area doing gem business say what they see and they can say exactly than any other.


Habib, it is quite commonplace for miners and dealers to not give exact location of deposits for security purposes, exclusivity or other reasons. You are correct in saying that people in the area can comment more exactly than any other - but often they don't.

Nice specimens you have there though. Thanks for the pics!

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