Since the movie Blood Diamond and press releases about the Taliban taking over the emerald mines in the Swat River Valley of Pakistan many are asking what are the conditions like in Colombia. Colombian emeralds are not mined under duress so there is no such thing as a blood emerald from Colombia. Colombia is the United States’ strongest ally in South America and has a long history of democracy. Much like in the US the emerald mines are owned by multiple large corporations who hire miners at market wages.

There are a number of guaqueiros that work the tailings outside of the emerald mines and independent miners also work smaller finds. Most of the emerald rough ends up in Bogota and is sold as individual pieces or whole parcels. A large open market exists in downtown Bogota where emerald rough is sold and traded. Once the rough is acquired the work of the cutters begin as they transform the rough emeralds into cut loose emeralds. Many of the cutters are individual business owners although some larger cutting houses exist as well.

Once the emeralds are cut they are sold by the parcel or individually to Colombian jewelers, foreign buyers, or an emerald dealer. Many people are also employed as brokers trading emeralds on the street or in offices and take a percentage for their services. The job of the broker is to negotiate sales between the seller and the buyer. As you can see there is a very large industry that surrounds the emerald trade in Colombia but nothing remotely close to the blood diamond situation exists in Colombia. Colombians emeralds are conflict free and profits from the emerald industry do not support war efforts.

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