Lapis Lazuli: Gemstones that adorn the world

PESHAWAR:

Namak Mandi remains the go-to place for people who are interested in buying lapis lazuli, a precious gemstone.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, a trader at the market said different varieties of the stone are popular among buyers.

“Two of the more popular varieties include Madan 4, which is sold for $100 to $500 per kilogramme, and Jandak, which is sold at $300 to $500 per kilogramme,” he said. “This largely depends on the size and weight of each piece.”

Qari Abdul Aziz, another gemstone trader, said a 200-year-old process of blasting is used to extract the stones. “However, this creates cracks within the surface and has resulted in countless problems for traders,” he added.

Origins of lapis

An opaque, deep blue stone with golden inclusions of pyrites that shimmer through the surface, the precious gemstone has remained one of the most sought-after gemstone throughout history.

These stones are made up of a mixture of minerals – including lazurite, sodalite, hauyne, calcite and pyrite – and the composition and colour of each lapis varies significantly. However, stones with an intense dark blue colour containing minor patches of white calcite and brassy yellow pyrite are considered to be among the best quality.

The best kind of lapis is found in Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, between Tajikistan and northern Pakistan. Extracted from rocks and mountains, the stones are mined by digging one kilometre into the ground and are mostly found in limestone.

Crystallographic character of lapis is cubic and the stone’s material is formed as a granular aggregate. Specks of pyrite and streaks of calcite are predominant in the stone and distinguish lapis from its competing rivals.

Herb Obodda, an American mineralogist, described the origins, varieties, and the evolving mineral market of stones within Peshawar’s market in a book titled Pakistan Minerals, Mountains and Majesty. The book puts a spotlight on the supply of real gemstones and minerals that are mainly traded in Namak Mandi. It also explains the entire process from mining to selling the stones.

Lapis was popular thousands of years ago amongst civilisations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. Ancient Egyptians used to grind the stone into powder and use them for cosmetics. It was also amongst the first gemstones to be worn as jewellery and exploited for its valuable ultramarine dye.

The stone has been used to design many famous paintings and architecture, including the mask of Tutankhamen and Buddha’s carvings.

On the black market

Most traders in Namak Mandi carry out their business activities directly with the people of Badakhshan.

Insiders told The Express Tribune some lapis stones are smuggled across the Pak-Afghan border and sold in Namak Mandi.

The stones are further supplied to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in large quantities.

Muhammad Yousaf, a mineralogist, told The Express Tribune, “If a stone is sold internationally, traders have to pay taxes and obtain an invoice for the sale and a certificate from Export Promotion Bureau Association.”

Traders make lucrative profits from selling lapis just within K-P without having to deal with bureaucratic hurdles.

A treasure chest

Some cultures regarded lapis as a holy stone, particularly in the Jewish traditions as well as Middle East and Germany. People believed the stone had magical powers and could protect people from all forms of evil.

Zakirullah, a trader and supplier of gemstones, said chemicals within the stone are hazardous to health. “One of my workers lost the function of his hands after they froze on the stone,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2015.