Swat Emerald in Matrix Specimen – 160g | Mingora Mine, Pakistan

This is a natural emerald-in-matrix specimen mined at the Mingora emerald deposit, Swat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The emerald occurs as a bright, saturated green to slightly bluish-green mass concentrated along a pale vein–host-rock contact. The host is a porous, grey-white, fine-grained talc–carbonate-altered ultramafic rock characteristic of the Mingora district. Dark inclusions visible in the matrix are consistent with graphite, chromite/spinel, or altered ultramafic material typical of this locality.

Mineralogy & Geology

• Primary mineral: Emerald — chromium-bearing green variety of beryl (Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈)
• Color: Bright saturated green to deeper bluish-green
• Transparency: Translucent in places; otherwise included to opaque
• Luster: Vitreous on fresh emerald surfaces; dull to sugary where fractured or microcrystalline
• Crystal habit: Massive to granular; locally showing short prismatic or fragmented crystal forms — no complete freestanding terminations
• Host rock: Talc–carbonate-altered ultramafic rock (probable magnesite ± talc ± quartz ± dolomite assemblage)
• Associated minerals: Quartz, carbonate minerals; dark phases consistent with graphite, chromite/spinel or Cr-bearing mica

Locality & Provenance

The Mingora emerald deposits lie within the Mingora ophiolitic mélange of the Indus Suture Zone, close to the Main Mantle Thrust — a tectonic belt containing fragments of ancient Neo-Tethyan oceanic crust caught in the collision zone between the Indian Plate and the Kohistan–Eurasian terranes. Swat emerald mineralization is hydrothermal/metasomatic in origin, hosted in serpentinized and carbonate-altered ultramafic bodies along quartz and carbonate-bearing veins.

• Mine: Mingora emerald mining area
• District: Swat District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
• Geological province: Indus Suture Zone; Mingora ophiolitic mélange
• Deposit style: Hydrothermal/metasomatic emerald in carbonate-altered ultramafic rocks

Collector Notes

The primary collector value of this specimen is the emerald–vein–host-rock geological association — the emerald mass is strongly fractured and matrix-bound, making it a geological display piece rather than a faceting rough. No treatment is disclosed; provenance is direct from the Mingora mining area. Trimming, cleaning, or stabilization, if any, will be disclosed on request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Swat emeralds considered high quality compared to Colombian emeralds?

Swat (Pakistan) emeralds are chromium-colored like Colombian stones and are recognized in the trade for their vivid green color. Matrix specimens from Mingora are primarily valued as collector pieces rather than faceting rough, so direct quality comparison with gem-grade Colombian material is not applicable here.

Is this emerald specimen treated or enhanced?

No treatment is known or disclosed for this specimen. As with all matrix emeralds, buyers should note that fracture-filling or stabilization cannot be ruled out without laboratory testing; a GIA or AGL report can confirm treatment status if required.

What is the difference between an emerald matrix specimen and loose emerald rough?

A matrix specimen retains the emerald within its natural host rock, preserving the geological context and mineralization relationship — this is what makes it collectible. Loose rough has been separated from the host and is typically evaluated for cutting yield and gem quality.