THE THRILL OF DISCOVERY: “THE MINING PROCESS”

It takes millions of years for emeralds to form deep within the Earth. The mining process to extract these rare gems from their place in the sedimentary rock requires extensive planning and careful processing.

The configuration of the mines consists predominantly of underground tunnels. These large operations begin as a vertical shaft into the terrain, branching out to various tunnels of “productive zones.” The walls of the tunnels consist of black shale. Miners must dig into calcite “veins” with hydraulic hammers to chase emerald pockets. Because this is a delicate process, exploration is best done by hand. Miners tend to hand pick or use other refined tools to remove the crystals.

The job of emerald miners is not for the faint of heart. Miners place explosives into drilled holes to enable access to the areas containing emeralds. The shale containing the rough material is wheeled out in carts and vigorously washed using screens, water, and muscle. An air of palpable excitement pervades the deep tunnel, as the miner shrouded in black dust delicately unearths the gems. It is extremely rare to see large crystals hauled out of these mines as most stones are found in smaller composites.

Conversely, along the Rio Itoco River, secondary mining takes place as several small-scale artisanal miners work tailings of large mines or riverbeds in search of emeralds, using picks, shovels, and water hoses to remove shale.

Exploration methods vary depending on the mine’s economic potential and surrounding community. Companies may spend 3 years or more preparing a mine. With innovation and modernization, systems and exploration techniques have improved the speed and accuracy it takes to unearth these precious stones.