GEMSTONES OF NORTH PAKISTAN
Pakistan is one of the most geologically diverse regions on Earth for natural gemstones, largely due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates that formed its northern mountain ranges. Pakistan is blessed with some of the world’s most beautiful and valuable gemstones. The country’s spectacular mountain ranges, particularly the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush, contain rich deposits of precious and semi-precious stones.
Most of the gemstones are pegmatite-related, such as aquamarine, tourmaline, topaz, garnet, and apatite. Some of the gemstones are hydrothermal and /or metamorphic in genesis such as emerald, ruby, sapphire, pargasite, rutile, azurite and pink topaz. The pegmatites are generally composed of feldspar (albite and microcline), quartz, biotite, muscovite and tourmaline. The important gemstones of Pakistan are listed below:
Aquamarine:
Aquamarine is the blue variety of beryl. Pakistani aquamarine has light green and blue coloration, and the crystals are well shaped. Dusso aquamarine crystals are very large in size ranging from 1 cm to 8 cm in width and up to 15 cm long. Large and matchless specimens of aquamarine (about 10 Kg in weight and 40 cm long) are usually associated with apatite or fluro-apatite, topaz, gem garnet, schorl, and sheaths of muscovite, is the specialty of Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan.
Ruby:
Ruby mineralization in Pakistan occurs in the dolomites marble in an extensive belt of more than 100 Km in the Hunza Valley. The well-formed crystals are pink to a fine red in color. High quality and transparent rubies also occur in the upper Neelum Valley, Kashmir.
Tourmaline:
Tourmaline includes elbaite, indicolite and the most valued bright red variety, rubellite. Some varieties of tourmaline show more than one color, with at least three being reported in one particular specimen. Large, well-shaped, gem quality crystals up to 800 grams in weight are found in the Gilgit and Skardu areas. Gem quality tourmaline occurs in the gem-bearing pegmatite at Stak, Bulechi and Shingus, Gilgit District, Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan.
Topaz:
Topaz is a popular and durable gem. In Pakistan, topaz occurs as euhedral crystals in pegmatites in Gilgit and Skardu Districts. Topaz-crystals may be found in yellowish brown, golden color, honey-yellow, and champagne. Deeper sherry-colored topaz crystals are very popular.
Pink topaz is another variety found in Katlang, Mardan District, Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan. The Katlang topaz is transparent to sub-transparent, colorless, purple or pink and good crystals are free from impurities. The orange rose or cyclamen color is unique in the world. The largest crystal recovered so far is over 7.5 cm in length with deep pink color. The well-formed crystals have the usual faces of topaz. The topaz occurs in calcite and quartz vein within limestone.
Emerald:
Pakistan is blessed with important deposits of precious and semi-precious gemstones. Among them, emerald is one of the country’s most famous precious gemstones, particularly the beautiful green emeralds of Swat Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistani emeralds are admired for their rich green color, natural crystal formations and geological significance. The Swat Emerald is one of Pakistan’s most famous and valuable gemstones. It is renowned internationally for its attractive green color, transparency and fine crystal quality. Swat Valley, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is an important source of natural emeralds and a major destination for gemstone enthusiasts, mineral collectors and geologists.
Peridot:
Peridot is a beautiful green precious gemstone belonging to the olivine mineral group. Pakistan is known for producing attractive natural peridot crystals, particularly from the mountainous regions of northern Pakistan in the area of Khoistan. Peridot is admired for its fresh olive-green, yellowish-green and bright green colors.
Gemstone Mine Trips
Visit the mines yourself with North Pakistan Adventure and meet the miners behind these treasures.