colombian emeralds - reportage by getty images · 2013-01-05 · emeralds in the world, but like...

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Colombia is the source of the best emeralds in the world, but like the country’s most recent history, Colombian green emerald jewels are bloodstained.

Few countries have areas as rich in emeralds as Colombia. This makes it is the world’s leading producer, with 55% of global production, followed by Brazil with 15%, Zambia with 12%, and Zimbabwe and Pakistan with 5% each. In terms of quality, Colombian emeralds are the world's finest.

Over the past decade, the market for Colombian emeralds was in decline, but with the recent increase of foreign investment, mostly in the form of US capital, there has been a recovery of this market that was in crisis. In 2008, Colombia’s exports of emeralds reach USD $180m, and that revenue has been growing by 20% per year for the past three years.

The cost of some of the finest Colombian emeralds can reach in excess of USD $10,000 per carat, or even up to USD $50,000 per carat for the ultimate specimen, although that would only for a very rare, flawless, very large one, with an important history or other significance.

ColombianEmeraldsPhotographs & text byAlvaro Ybarra Zavala

MUZO, BOYACA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA: An emerald trader shows an uncut emerald. Colombia's top court awarded the largest emerald concession in the region to an international company, which has limited the local market, so the competition between traders is fierce. The crisis is wreaking havoc among the mining population, as it is increasingly difficult to work in traditional surface mining in riverbeds, due to the lack of emeralds. Hunger and other needs have lead to greater insecurity in the area, with the paramilitary groups in the region who serve powerful employers attempting to control the situation at all costs.


Muzo is the heart of emerald country in Colombia. Its emeralds are known worldwide for their highest quality and purity. But behind the beauty of the spell of the emerald is a dark story of violence, war and the systematic violation of human rights that has turned this corner of Colombia into a pit of despair. Muzo is in the department of Boyaca, about a 5-hour drive (300km) from the capital, Bogota. As such, one of the darkest parts of the country is actually not that far from the capital itself.

Hundreds of people come to Muzo every year in search of their own El Dorado, but find a very different situation to their dream of riches. Poverty, violence and hunger usually end up being part of the daily lives of all those that have come to these mountains following their dreams, in search of emeralds.

MUZO, BOYACA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA: Mata Cafe, one of the main residential groupings of huts of the mining community in Muzo.


The guaqueria, which is the traditional form of emerald mining at the surface, often in riverbeds, is in crisis. The concession to exploit the main emerald mine in the region was awarded to an international company, and this has limited access for traditional mining in the most productive areas for emeralds. Now more than ever, the guaqueros (independent surface miners) are subject to the whims of the patrones (bosses) that control the mines in the region. For example, the main mine now only unloads it discarded washed rubble once per day, so this is the only opportunity the guaqueros have to sort through them in the hope of finding emeralds, which has meant that competition is fierce and violence often erupts at the site. Guaqueros work up to 15 hours a day, travel from one dumping site to the next, according to where the mines unload their discarded rubble. They can end up working for years without finding any sellable emeralds this way. Any emeralds that they do find are sold locally to traders, who then take them to Bogota to sell on, and from there they reach the international market.

MUZO, BOYACA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA - AUGUST 2010: Guaqueros (traditional surface miner) waiting in the washing area, where the owners of the mine throw the discarded washed rocks. The guaqueria trade (traditional surface mining) is in crisis. Since Colombia's highest court awarded the largest emerald mining concession in the region to a foreign company, job opportunities have been limited for guaqueros. Only once a day, the company gives away discarded washed rubble to the guaqueros for them to go through in search of remaining emeralds. It is the most anticipated moment of the day, hundreds of people come along for this every day. Fighting and violence is becoming common, so the men and women are being separated in shifts.


Child guaqueros (traditional surface miner) working in the washing area, where the owners of the mine throw the discarded washed rocks. There are many children working there, as the local population is very poor and hungry. Although aid is available for children in the region from several NGOs, including a Spanish one called Fundacion Telefonica, social context and the current crisis in the emerald industry makes this the only way for many to survive in the area.

Guaqueros (traditional surface miner) working in the washing area, where the owners of the mine throw the discarded washed rocks. Only once a day, the company gives away discarded washed rubble to the guaqueros for them to go through in search of remaining emeralds. It is the most anticipated moment of the day, hundreds of people come along for this every day.


In many of the local emerald mines, miners are just being given food for work, and even that is just a bowl of soup. They often spend twelve hours underground at a time, with virtually no safety precautions. They use basic tools, and handle TNT explosives, which they are permitted to handle after a 1-week explosives training course provided by the local police. After the first explosion in a mine, the workers are allowed to take a handful of rock for themselves, in the hope of it containing emeralds. They are not permitted to take any more after that. Even then, it is the best status that workers can hope for in Muzo. Those lucky enough to work underground within the mines say their situation is not as bad as that of the guaqueros, who survive on less than €20 Euros per year, as they at least are given food to eat each day.

MUZO, BOYACA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA: Two miners search through mined rocks in search of emeralds at the entrance to the Millionaire mine. The miners work simply for food, spending 12 hours underground each day, with virtually no safety precautions, in return for a bowl of soup. Even then, it is the best status that workers can hope for in Muzo. Those lucky enough to work underground within the mines say their situation is not as bad as that of the guaqueros, who survive on less than €20 Euros per year, as they at least are given food to eat each day.


Miners handling explosives is the traditional way of working in the emerald mines in Muzo. Gringo has 30 years of experience working with TNT inside the mine. His son, born from his fifth marriage, is also a miner. Gringo had family in the Valle del Cauca, including his woman and several children, who left 30 years ago because of his dream to find emeralds. He has never heard from his former family since leaving. Cases such as Gringo's are common within Muzo's emerald mining population.

Miners at work inside the Millionaire mine. The miners work simply for food, spending 12 hours underground each day, with virtually no safety precautions, in return for a bowl of soup. Even then, it is the best status that workers can hope for in Muzo.

A miner at work inside the Millionaire mine, transporting rocks to the surfare for sorting.


A miner unloads the discarded washed rubble, having taken out obvious emeralds. This rubble will later be sorted through by groups of independent guaqueros (traditional surface miners), in the hope of finding emeralds that were missed at the mine.

Miners takeing a break at the entrance to the Millionaire mine. The miners work simply for food, spending 12 hours underground each day, with virtually no safety precautions, in return for a bowl of soup. Even then, it is the best status that workers can hope for in Muzo.

A miner heads back into the entrance to the Millionaire mine, having discared rubble.


MUZO, BOYACA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA: A group of miners having lunch at the Millionaire mine. They work simply for food, spending 12 hours underground each day, with virtually no safety precautions, in return for a bowl of soup. Even then, it is the best status that workers can hope for in Muzo. Those lucky enough to work underground within the mines say their situation is not as bad as that of the guaqueros, who survive on less than €20 Euros per year, as they at least are given food to eat each day.


Daily life in this mining region is ruled by paramilitary groups who are at the service of a very powerful individual known simply as El Patron (the boss). These paramilitaries are known as ‘los Pajaros’ (meaning the birds), and they are the law and prevailing authority in the area. Their abuse of the local population and any looters is constant. The local mines, separate to the one that is operated by the international mining company, are owned by local patrones, who then report upwards to El Patron, who controls the whole region.

Life in the mining village is real example of human survival. The miners have little or no money, no food, and lot of guarapo (local alcoholic drink). There is little for them to do outside work hours, apart from drinking and gambling.

One of the images depicts a father and his son. He doesn’t want to see his child end up in the same position as him, and he wants him to study so he can have a better future, but just in case he is teaching him how to differentiate between different types of stones, and how to find emeralds.

MUZO, BOYACA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA: The guaraperias (local bars) are a boulevard of broken dreams for the guaqueros (taditional suface miners). They see guarapo (a local alcoholic drink) as their only true friend. A cup costs just 3 cents, and removes hunger, but creates an addiction than makes guaqueros think that they can't live without it. The guaraperias are the most profitable business throughout the region.


Dona Rosa (false name) preparing coffee. She has spent a lifetime working as a guaquera (traditional surface emerald miner). Her and her husband live off less than 20 Euros per year. They have many daily survival needs, and hunger drives them to head out to the periphery of the the mines each day for their guaquearia work, search of emeralds in the discarded piles of rubble that the mines dump, often in riverbeds. Dona Rosa's husband is ill and walks with difficulty, so it is getting harder for him to work.

Dona Rosa (flase name) has spent a lifetime working as a guaquera (traditional surface emerald miner). She and her husband live off less than 20 Euros per year. Hunger drives them to head out to the periphery of the the mines each day for their guaquearia work, in search of emeralds in the discarded piles of rubble that the mines dump. Dona Rosa's husband is ill and walks with difficulty, so it is getting harder for him to work.

An image of Christ sits alongside a bottle of liquor, which acts as a metaphor for the lives and broken dreams of the guaqueros (traditional surface emerald miners). Don Arturo is a respected old guaquero in the area. Over the years he has been a miner, he has found several emeralds, but regretfully admits, "Here we follow the laws of life and I blew it all on rum, women and other vices."


Nelson with his daughter. Nelson is a lucky guaquero (traditional surface miner). He got lucky for a couple of years and found some good emeralds, so began working in the service of local employers. He has several children and he doesn't want them to end up working in the mines. His dream is to escape away from the black hole that is Muzo.

Miners spending free time gambling and drinking in a guaraperia (local bars), which are a boulevard of broken dreams for the guaqueros (taditional suface miners).

Nelson teaching his son how to identify emeralds. Nelson is a lucky guaquero (traditional surface miner). He got lucky for a couple of years and found some good emeralds, so began working in the service of local employers. He has several children and he doesn't want them to end up working in the mines. His dream is to escape away from the black hole that is Muzo.

Don Miguel writes letters and poems in a guaequeria (local bar).


MUZO, BOYACA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA: A miner displays some rough uncut emeralds. Colombia is the world's leading emerald producer, with 55% of global production. In 2008, Colombia’s exports of emeralds reach USD $180m, and that revenue has been growing by 20% per year for the past three years. The cost of some of the finest Colombian emeralds can reach in excess of USD $10,000 per carat, or even up to USD $50,000 per carat for the ultimate specimen, although that would only for a very rare, flawless, very large one, with an important history or other significance.


Reportage by Getty ImagesLondon

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colombian emeralds - reportage by getty images · 2013-01-05 · emeralds in the world, but like...

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