Minerals from Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of the most important sources of high-quality mineral specimens and gemstones in the world, despite the obvious difficulties in sourcing and exporting material from the region.

The country is particularly well known for its pegmatites, especially those found in Nuristan, Kunar, and Badakhshan provinces. These have produced some exceptional aquamarine, kunzite, morganite, tourmaline, and spodumene. The gem crystals from these areas are often sharply terminated, transparent, and quite large.

Afghanistan is also a major source of lapis lazuli, particularly from the ancient mines at Sar-e-Sang in Badakhshan. This material has been mined for thousands of years and remains some of the finest available.

Quartz, often associated with feldspar or mica, is found in a number of pegmatite zones. I’ve seen some interesting combinations including quartz with spodumene or tourmaline. There are also some good examples of ruby and spinel from metamorphic zones, although these are less often seen in specimen form.

Much of the high-grade material from Afghanistan is either cut or sold into the gemstone market, so natural, uncut specimens can be harder to find. Pieces are often sold through intermediaries in Pakistan or Dubai, and sometimes labelled as Pakistani due to transit routes.

Locality information can be vague, especially with older material, and this can make provenance difficult to confirm.

Afghanistan