corundum, Pakistan.12, gems, Aquamarine, ruby, locality, species, Afghanistan

For millennia, minerals and gemstones have been gathered and traded from countries surrounding present day Pakistan. While the Karakoram Mountains hosted portions of the Silk Road and other ancient routes over which stones were traded, Pakistan's magnificent gem deposits were for the most part left undiscovered until the 20th century. Since then, a few daring miners, collectors and dealers have challenged the extreme climate, daunting terrain and rocky political landscape to introduce the world to some of its finest mineral treasures. Pakistan - Minerals, Mountains & Majesty is packed with unmatchable locality information, detailed maps, stories behind the finds, and of course unforgettable photographs.