Afghanistan's blue stone treasure is devastated

The lapis blue stone is one of the world's largest reserves of precious stones in Afghanistan, which has brought great benefits to the country but is devastated by corruption.

According to BBC, Afghanistan is ranked 166/168 countries on corruption index, according to the latest assessment of TI Transparency International. The most pronounced evidence of corruption is the fate of one of the country's greatest hardships, green lapis gemstones.

Raw lapis stones and jewelry made from lapis are sold outdoors in Afghanistan.(Photo: USGS).

The lapis stone has a dark blue color, shining like stars because of the metallic gold-like spots due to the mixing of pyrite ore (FeS ₂ ). Afghanistan has the largest lapis reserve in the world. It was mined in a small area around the river valley in Badakshan province for over 6,000 years.

A 2-year investigation by the global nonprofit organization Global Witness shows that profits from the sale of semi-precious stones instead of reaching people are being dumped into the pockets of high-ranking politicians and Top officials, also a major source of income for the Taliban and other militant insurgents.

According to Global Witness, "such an extraordinary national treasure should have been a powerful resource for reconstruction and development, which has become a source of conflict."

What happens to the lapis is the epitome of the Afghan mining sector. According to the US Geological Survey, the value of lapis has not yet reached an estimated $ 1 billion, enough to transform the economy of this impoverished country.

However, illegal exploitation with the collusion of high-ranking politicians and rebel groups is taking away this resource.

The United Nations estimates that mineral income including lapis is currently the second largest source of Taliban revenue, behind opium.

Necklace chain made from lapis stone and royal gold pendant in 2500 BC.(Photos: Pinterest).

The pendant made from exploited lapis stone has been used to decorate the princess's chain in the first city in the world - Ur, south of Mesopotamia (Mesopotamia), Iraq today. Ancient Egyptian craftsmen also used lapis from the same source to paint the famous golden death mask eyebrow of young Tutankhamun Pharaoh.

Thousands of years later, it was pulverized and became the most appreciated blue dye. It was also used by medieval monks in handwritten manuscripts and Renaissance painters believed to have been used to paint the Virgin Mary's robe. Today, lapis stones are still used for jewelry and decoration.