Emerald Deposits of the Panjsher Valley, Afghanistan: Preliminary Assessment of Geologic Setting and Origin of the Deposits

摘要

As part of U.S. Geological Survey assistance in the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Geological Survey is working with the Afghanistan Ministry of Mines and Industries and the Afghan Geological Survey in conducting a mineral resource assessment of Afghanistan. In the early stage of this assessment, we are evaluating Afghanistans gemstone deposits. Afghanistan is rich in gemstone deposits including emeralds, rubies, lapis lazuli, and pegmatite-hosted semiprecious gems. This report presents a preliminary assessment of the geologic setting and origin of emerald deposits in the Panjsher Valley in the Hindu Kush Mountains of northeastern Afghanistan. Existing geologic maps and reports published by Soviet and Afghan geologists in the mid-1970s have been translated and are discussed. These maps and reports are used in conjunction with our new field and petrographic data to allow us to critically evaluate the Soviet geologic and tectonic interpretations for the northeastern part of the country. We also discuss the character of the emerald deposits and present a working hypothesis on the origin of the emeralds.