gems, olivine, peridot, Pakistan

Peridot from Pakistan has emerged as a new source, joining Ethiopia and Vietnam as recent additions to the list of producing countries. First brought to attention in fall 1994 by Bill Larson of Pala International, further details came from Laura Thompson of Shades of the Earth, the company marketing the material. The deposit lies in the western Himalayas near the Indus River, at an elevation of about 4,500 meters, reachable only by a seven-hour horse ride and a two-day hike from Basham Village. Initial discoveries of small crystals occurred in 1992, but facet-grade material was only found and mined beginning mid-1994. Mining is carried out by 200 to 2,000 villagers without formal organization, and Shades of the Earth buys material directly from these groups. Due to the extreme altitude, the deposit is only accessible from late June to early October. As of October 1994, about 100 kg of material had been produced, with just 3 kg being facet-grade. Nonetheless, the crystal size allows for large stones, typically 10 to 20 carats, with future cuts expected to reach up to 100 carats. Only a few crystals have been examined so far, and gemological data will follow once faceted stones become available.