Chasing Emeralds in Pakistan (and the Man Who Met the Queen)

Swat Valley is where most of Pakistan's emeralds come from — and almost nobody outside the country talks about it. After Peshawar we drove up to Mingora to visit a friend whose family owns emerald mines in the hills above the town. We explored the mines, spent time with the men who work them, and went down to the river where the rough stones are washed and auctioned off in the open air. That's where we met an old Haji Sahb who once met Queen Elizabeth II in 1961. After that, we played football with Afghan kids, and eventually left the valley behind to head deeper into the mountains — all the way to Malam Jabba. This is episode 2 of the series. Episode 1 here:    • gem hunting in Peshawar   ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Leaving Peshawar 01:22 Arriving in Mingora 02:35 The emerald mines 08:43 Visiting the emeral market 10:28 The auction by the river and the man who met the Queen 12:54 Football with the kids 13:57 Into the mountains 📍 Filmed in Mingora and Malam Jabba, Swat Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan 🎒 Follow along Instagram: @orientconquerors Momin's Instagram: @momineralogy #pakistan #emeralds #swatvalley