Afghan Villagers Turn to Gold Panning to Sustain Livelihoods

Afghanistan’s Gold Panners Scour Riverbeds for Precious Dust

In the Hindu Kush mountains of eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men are searching for gold dust in the Kunar riverbed. The area, near the Pakistan border, is home to a group of prospectors who have created their own livelihoods amidst limited economic opportunities.

The workers, mostly from Kabul, travel seven hours to reach the site and excavate dry sections of the riverbed before washing their rocky hauls with river water. Some use picks to chip away at the mountainside, while others employ yellow jerrycans attached to long wooden handles to pour river water over sieves.

According to Delawar, a 45-year-old father of eight, the gold nuggets found are usually smaller than a grain of wheat. He joined the prospectors after leaving his construction job and stated that they have created work for themselves due to limited job opportunities in the country.

Gul Ahmad Jan, a 35-year-old prospector, claims that the work can be lucrative, with the potential to earn up to 1gm of gold worth approximately 8,000 Afghani ($125) per week. The Kunar official stated that gold panning has occurred in the area for more than 10 years.

The region’s natural resources have remained largely unexploited during decades of conflict, but the prospectors are finding ways to create their own economic opportunities.

Source: Al Jazeera