Afghanistan's Secret Billion Dollar Emerald Mines

[Music] the heart of Afghanistan the Panjshir the stronghold of general you see nestled in these mountains at an altitude of over 3,000 meters is a village cut off in the world here lived 300 - in search of a precious stone emerald for 20 years these stones fueled war today they adorn the finest jewelry in the world the miners have only a few months after the thawing of the ice to get their hands on these tiny green gems here they take with whatever they've got and an appetite to the impossible but the road is long and fraught with danger Sangams I do like my druid eyes the exact we should follow dinner over telephone our warning with other but the small industry could yield a lot for Afghanistan actual amount of India the world of his own son continued may be exploit a see say professionally the econ faith Hawaii lakiya on Afghanistan the professing moment EPA said well o Partha at want you don't support me a scarecrow shows give a continual economy Afghan Afghanistan is a geological miracle the subsoil is replete with gold iron copper coal rare metals and precious stones a miracle which could generate 1000 billion euros and lift the Afghan people out of poverty [Music] the country could become the Saudi Arabia of all and leave behind it the nightmare of war here in Kabul there is no suggestion of holding off the Afghan feast the country's immense natural resources fuelling foreign interests so how are these emeralds exploited and why don't they generate more income for a country that has been on an international trip for more than 10 years Raphael is 38 he's been in Kabul since 2008 when he first arrived the Frenchman trained Afghan security forces before venturing into the Emerald trade on behalf of European jewelers Ahmad Afghani concomitant a feeble Dominic led in the crystal is a pure fancy with extraction where are certain circles identity are keys from complete magnetic run in cocky but Ramallah crystal key see pure conceived on you see to be home until is also to do Sankhya aconcagua this evening Raphael has an appointment with a seller the man has arrived from Pangea with 500 grams of emeralds these appointments take place in private Raphael collaborates with Habib his Afghan partner it's difficult to work alone in Afghanistan is a foreigner the Mariposa community for the parameter C alpha silicon sadhana one experiment EP like a geode is our main function a possible swamp risco complement little Kansas a 20-minute call vascular chakra the cristela can pass your PID really physically I'm a dam of quality if he is able to find this then we can see your future together Tao cracked and too small Raphael knows these stones won't find a buyer in the exacting European market in Afghanistan the Emerald trade is less than 40 years old the industry is not structured between the miners in the middlemen there is a multitude of small traders to get his hands on the most exceptional stones Raphael decides to go direct to the mines of Panjshir but to do this he needs permission and it is from a relation of general mu suit that he must obtain it chloroform - ooh my food welcome to a love how the matcha Massoud particular - is assumed across the deep let's salute on Shia or security the swap for Transpo enforcer +44 who are materially mean digitization white blue key biosecurity surplus Vulcan ship opposite para a clip on silicon me I open a big project with the stone with the emerald I want to develop by the way also the economic yeah and with the Europe market so with Paris I'm from Paris and french fries and so it's a long walk I spend three years to to to make this happen so now we are walking on that still walking on that to start so we have a lot of requests also for Europe because the the emerald from Afghanistan is the best in the world the best quality and so anything do you like to do so for the people right here in the foundation so they can help you in what is here or any other problems for cashier anyway so we're here to thank you you are the two dimensional inches this is invaluable assistance for Rafael here whole region's remain under the control of tribes families the dwarves final preparations Rafael checks his kit and takes one additional measure for him it's a matter of getting out of Kabul any way he can discomfort for Sudeep let's see that it was out the wood on to New York I'll continue and it won't affect only the expert vehicle but somebody's in a path with no armed escort an unmarked car for this specialist in close combat you can't be discretion over the 150 kilometers between Kabul and pan share abductions are common for the Taliban of foreigners worth their weight in gold to cloud the scope on Sharon I deserve it for every deal at home the new couple faster sham Olivia about the risk very good problems the plasma that is Philemon for from conclusion available for developing reso for the ludus pony with villages were more Magnifico rusev ROC like Papa tell the minister possibly non future the table after nya for extractions what after I would drive after the bridge okay thanks to the foundation Raphael is able to enter the province today security is heightened it's the commemoration of a momentous event the death of the Lion of Panjshir ahmed shah massoud every year since his assassination by an al-qaeda commando in September 2001 Pan series come to pay tribute to the memory of a man who for 20 years stood up to the Soviet Army and then to the Taliban over that period Massoud developed the precious stones trade to finance his war effort the whole Valley placed himself at his service the business soon fetched 15 million euros per year enough to supply arms the Afghan emerald began to make a name for itself worldwide [Music] though the remnants of the war have disappeared the economy of the valley still revolves around the Emerald it is the only wealth of the province last stop before the mines the village of Kench here little has changed since the days of general Massoud in this destitute market still lives more because I'm shorter sermon this is certainly not Kabul but in its own way the village is indispensable it is from here that the caravan set off on their way to the mines Rafael relies on this mine owner to get into the mind [Music] equipment and supplies are transported along this path everything that enables the - to sustain the long months in the mountains [Music] the ascent is long and perilous it will take over four hours to reach the mines on foot [Music] after Stephanie therapist after dama de ARMA Duncan after Koosman okay but but Dharam coconut was of the Carver the Frenchman finally reaches the miners camp at 3,000 metres above the sea level he is received by the owners men from for pan sherry families who reign over the Emerald business a business which is largely beyond the control of the state the mines have never been registered in Kabul [Music] these miners live far from their families in difficult conditions the majority are farmers from the valley they have six months before winter to an earthen emerald that would change their fortunes [Music] we go to this plane it is actually the immigrant is now coming out so they can they can take it every day this thirst for emeralds drives the - to take the tunnels deeper up to 100 metres long without any danger is ever-present but they don't have a choice it is at these depths [Music] [Music] the miners maintain their at the beginning of the operation the mountain is bursting with emeralds but the extraction techniques are so archaic progress is slow 300 men working shifts day and night then they started in the Gomorrah Shamas Baja tricky mad bahasa be hotter mortal oshio Tamura Tamura tally made him a geode PI system meat on him they got the Jerrod Conan a move by similar deck to Jorah to the Governor Cuomo a doctor who be by despair as I mean George Cukor shakyas the Eco as image angel philosophy those who take the greatest risks are the pyrotechnist s' they fashion the explosives themselves using powder salvaged from ammunition the government has banned them from using dynamite at the risk of the Taliban producing bombs Potocki rocket apalta shown them the gas our guerrilla memory the robot army team Commerce's fastest he ran a criminal de Ferran name both are money Bozak our only personal yes ice - ice - who go he has a lot of chicken and he was good buddy buddy buddy buddy using this method of extraction accidents of frequency and the nearest clinic is more than four hours away on foot the explosives also damaged the stumps an estimated 75 percent of the animals value is lost in the blast PSA Sambhav see on what the dommage confess if yes up hips korean vantastic is spare the addict on put who VD the DP a book or example tom a kiss on Cassie we won't put on put who VD Pierre he's on fish away Pascal Sula Sulu what is exclusive kiss on like someone meeting somebody to professional for those who work in these mines the Emerald stand for everything they've invested time resources effort miners and proprietors are united they share the same goal stumbling upon a rich vein we are Li build on beautiful sequin live usual these emeralds being passed around other fruits of the last week's extraction top dream : leaves on continent hope Samaritans a murdered America buried in your big Hoss if the Afghan amused compete with those real Colombia and Brazil Rafael suggesting with clear stones for the European market it's gonna be stopped communicating through our bill : petite side and SATA equals a fungus even if he hasn't ultimately found what he was looking for from now on Raphael will have special access to the mites he hopes to be able to return soon with extraction equipment that can protect the Emerald and preserve its true value [Music] catch the miners village the Frenchman arranges for more meetings in order to expand his Network he hopes to establish which will enable him to work in peace from this is a few hours after arriving Raphael received several proposals only one on the top yeah I'm provoked you Alex cultures on today's show kozakowski dommage and please come Cecily pikelet Eva look I'm Julie ko al are a clear economic success if we did two pgps couple demolishes comes honest L see you fit a joke ask you Sanjaya silly by exposing a crime we found LPS Co it was like for developing issues Papa said kudos cristela sitsit garroted p.m. total football beautiful for a donkey hi Eva international Co Rafael is interested in this patch but he's not the only one the goods will be auctioned in Afghanistan you don't talk money in public it's considered offensive deals are negotiated under a scarf the Frenchman hits the jackpot but we won't find out the price each year pancha emeralds generate 50 million euros but 80% leave the country illegally often marked is Colombian or Brazilian a loss of state income so Valley Pakistan Pizza walk on a Mac Monday LaPierre eat half a year Puglia so ho true in certain value if you have placed a bother dude dude hold on wha - by Musco on phones why yah Allah said Hoover de fuerza news develop a lousy on purveyor for mediocrity leap Iran Afghanistan Espanola solar plant economics suppose a vocal coach on rapportive rapacious yourself a fairy for harm before the line Kazuma Indian Astra exported precious stones are officially texted 27% by the government but the state is never managed to regulate the industry modern ceremonial a Turkish Juarez heart a Aquila at the Exchequer got baked the ridges in the ear economies who Hakka Hamad via France honest not smart enough understands our Marine mellitus ceremony key moonlit Amitabha so what how safe the Saudi Taos awara for him in Libra sauna based a Claudia tech the Saudi balasana were the Gothic Ranma convene modernist refers makana he hide economy the mine owners aren't the only ones to profit from the weakness of the state in Kabul the Emerald market is under the control of one man Muhammad go Masood swarmer driver Hobart us tell mr. Patel jobs in Westerly August I was in the 1980s we sued and trusted him with a mission to retrieve some of the emeralds from the miners and sell them abroad today Muhammad Google believes this business belongs to him pärnu nay Madame Curie your solidarity Afghanistan and as I move Kowloon East Harbor KS cassettes are pieces to follow McCullough mr. Hafiz at a Sanguinetti but if they learn more tax figure could they hit them Uranus in the walkways of the gemstone Bazaar Mohammed girl is at home Masood Zolt driver his exclusivity on the majority of export licenses and it is he - who sets the market price for rubies sapphires and emeralds at the time when foreign troops are beginning their withdrawal from Afghanistan and taking with them a quantity of international aid taking advantage of the country's natural resources has never been more vital but this requires a total remodeling if they are to stand any chance of attracting foreign capital meanwhile a third of the Afghan population still live below the poverty line

Channel: Journeyman Pictures

Views: 5,380,311

Keywords: emerald afghanistan, afghanistan's secret million dollar emerald mines, afghanistan emerald mines, afghanistan emeralds, afghanistan emerald, afghan emerald, emerald mines, emerald mining, emerald mine, mining emeralds, afghanistan, emeralds, gem mining, emerald, afghanistan war, conflict diamonds, conflict stones, journeyman pictures, precious metals, diamond mines, gemstone mining, emerald stone, gem hunters, documentary, kashmir, kabul, taliban, precious stones

Id: nk_CWLsPQS8

Length: 27min 50sec (1670 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 31 2014