- THE ANDES MOUNTAINS
IN BOYACA, COLOMBIA,
HOLD A UNIQUE TREASURE THAT'S
BEEN FOUGHT OVER FOR CENTURIES.
THE INDIANS,
CONQUISTADORS, GOVERNMENT,
GUERILLAS,
AND DRUG LORDS
HAVE ALL SOUGHT CONTROL
OF THIS LAND
FOR ONE REASON:
IT'S THE RICHEST SOURCE
OF EMERALDS
THAT THE WORLD
HAS EVER KNOWN.
MY NAME IS THOMAS NAGIN,
AND I'M A MINERAL EXPLORER.
FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS,
I'VE TRAVELED THE WORLD
IN SEARCH
OF THE FINEST GEMS,
CRYSTALS, AND MINERALS.
[laughs]
NOW I'M TAKING YOU
ALONG WITH ME.
OH, IT'S HUMID IN HERE.
WE'LL VISIT SOME
OF THE RICHEST MINES
AND DISCOVER JUST WHAT IT TAKES
TO UNEARTH
THESE NATURAL TREASURES.
IT'S GONNA BE ONE HECK
OF AN EXPLOSION.
[explosion]
IT'S OKAY.
COME ON.
WELCOME TO COLOMBIA,
A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
RICH IN CULTURE
AND FULL OF CHARM.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE
OVER 20 YEARS AGO
WHEN I OPERATED A QUARTZ MINE
IN SANTANDER.
COLOMBIA'S HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
AND ILLEGAL DRUG PRODUCTION
HAS CREATED A MISLEADING
PORTRAIT OF THIS PLACE
THAT HAS SO MUCH MORE
TO OFFER.
IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST PRODUCER
OF FLOWERS
AND FAMOUS FOR HAVING
SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST COFFEE.
THE--THE YELLOW IS RIPE, HUH?
MOST OF THE COFFEE IS GROWN
ON SMALL FAMILY FARMS
LESS THAN FIVE ACRES.
THEN THE BEANS ARE DRIED,
ROASTED, AND PACKAGED
FOR RETAILERS AROUND THE WORLD.
YOU HAVEN'T HAD
A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE
UNTIL YOU'VE HAD
A CUP OF COLOMBIAN COFFEE
RIGHT FROM THE SOURCE.
COLOMBIAN COFFEE--
BEST IN THE WORLD.
THERE'S REALLY A LOT
TO SEE AND DO,
BUT WE CAME IN SEARCH OF
COLOMBIA'S OTHER CLAIM TO FAME:
EMERALDS.
COLOMBIA PRODUCES OVER HALF
OF THE WORLD'S EMERALDS,
AND WE'RE HEADED TO TWO OF
THE COUNTRY'S MOST FAMOUS MINES:
MUZO AND COSCUEZ.
BUT FIRST, WE'LL CHECK OUT
THE CAPITAL CITY OF BOGOTA.
I COME HERE
EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS
TO MEET UP
WITH MY GOOD FRIEND FERNANDO
AND HUNT FOR EMERALDS
IN THE WORLD'S LARGEST
EMERALD DISTRICT.
THIS IS AN AREA
THAT'S SIX SQUARE BLOCKS
OF NOTHING BUT PEOPLE BUYING
AND SELLING EMERALDS
AND JEWELRY STORES.
IT'S THE EMERALD CENTER
OF THE WORLD, REALLY.
OVER 60% OF THE WORLD'S EMERALDS
COME FROM BOGOTA
AND THE SURROUNDING MINES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HANG AROUND
THE EMERALD DISTRICT LONG
TILL SOMEONE WILL COME
AND SHOW YOU WHAT THEY'VE GOT.
[speaking Spanish]
THIS PLACE
IS LITERALLY TEEMING
WITH PEOPLE BUYING
AND SELLING EMERALDS.
[speaking Spanish]
HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK
IN THIS AREA?
- [speaking Spanish]
- THERE'S ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE
THAT ARE--
BUY AND SELL ON COMMISSION.
THEY STAND AROUND HERE;
THEY BUY AND SELL
TO EACH OTHER;
THEY BUY AND SELL
TO EMERALD BUYERS
THAT COME FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD.
THIS--THIS IS A--
THIS IS AN EMERALD
SITTING IN CALCITE.
- [speaking Spanish]
- UH-HUH?
- [speaking Spanish]
- AH, I SEE.
- [speaking Spanish]
- OH, OKAY.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF BAG
THAT THEY USE IN THE MINE
TO CARRY THEIR--THEIR EMERALDS
AND THEIR MONEY.
[speaking Spanish]
- NO, NO, NO!
[laughter]
- OH, LOOK AT THAT.
[speaking Spanish]
- [speaking Spanish]
- OH, THIS IS FROM MUZO,
AND IT'S A...
IT'S GOT PYRITE
ALL ON THE INSIDE.
FERNANDO HAS--
- [speaking Spanish]
- AH, THEY BROKE THIS STONE
AND THE INSIDE WAS ALL FILLED--
FULL OF PYRITE.
INTERESANTE.
[speaking Spanish]
- NO, WE DO HAVE--
- [laughs]
YOU CAN FIND
ALL SORTS OF MINERALS
IN THE EMERALD DISTRICT,
AND EVERYWHERE WE WENT,
PEOPLE WERE STOPPING US
TO SHOW US THEIR WARES.
BUT I WAS EAGER TO GET TO
THE SOURCE OF THESE GEMSTONES,
AND THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME
FOR SHOPPING AFTER WE GET BACK.
THE MINES ARE LOCATED
OVER 150 MILES NORTH OF BOGOTA
BY WAY OF CHIQUINQUIRA.
THESE MINES AREN'T OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC.
IN FACT, THEY'RE HEAVILY GUARDED
TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT.
BUT WE'VE GOT A GREAT GUIDE
TO HELP US GET IN
TO THESE OTHERWISE
INACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS.
- [speaking Spanish]
- FERNANDO TRAVELS
FREQUENTLY TO THE MINES
AND KNOWS A LOT
ABOUT THE EMERALD BUSINESS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS,
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO PLAN
OUR TRIP TO THE EMERALD MINES.
OKAY, UM...
THIS IS BOGOTA, ALL RIGHT?
OKAY.
HE SUGGESTED THAT WE GET
A GOOD, EXPERIENCED DRIVER
FOR THE ROAD AHEAD.
WE NEED ANOTHER BANANA.
- [laughs]
- THAT'S WHEN HE INTRODUCED US
TO DON SEGUNDO.
[engine turns over]
SEGUNDO'S HAS BEEN
IN THE EMERALD BUSINESS
FOR MANY YEARS.
HE WAS AROUND IN THE 1980s
AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE EMERALD WARS,
A 60-YEAR CONFLICT INVOLVING
THE GUERILLA GROUPS,
PARAMILITARY GROUPS,
DRUG CARTELS, AND THE GOVERNMENT
ALL BATTLING OVER THE PROFITS
OF THESE STONES.
AT THAT TIME,
PABLO ESCOBAR,
HEAD OF
A NOTORIOUS DRUG CARTEL,
TRIED TO TAKE CONTROL
OF THE EMERALD MINES
AS A WAY TO LAUNDER PROFITS
FROM THE COCAINE INDUSTRY.
IN 1990,
THE BISHOP OF CHIQUINQUIRA
HELPED BROKER A TRUCE,
ENDING THE EMERALD WARS
AND MUCH OF THE VIOLENCE.
THE SECURITY IS A LOT BETTER NOW
OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS
AND PEOPLE ARE NOT
AFRAID SO MUCH.
NOW COLOMBIA'S
A PRETTY NICE PLACE.
[hen cheeping]
[dog barking]
COLOMBIA'S A COUNTRY
THAT'S BOTH CULTURALLY
AND GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE.
WE'VE BEEN TRAVELING
OVER A HIGH PLATEAU
IN THE ANDES MOUNTAINS,
BUT NOW WE'RE DESCENDING INTO
A MUCH MORE TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT
WITH HEAVY RAINFALL
AND RUNOFF FROM THE MOUNTAINS,
WHICH WREAK HAVOC
ON THE ROADS.
AS YOU CAN SEE,
THERE'S A LOT OF WATER
ON THE WAY TO THE MINE HERE.
A LOT OF WATERFALLS--
BEAUTIFUL WATERFALLS--
BUT THEY WASH OUT THE ROADS.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S WHY WE SEE SO MANY
WORKERS ON THE ROADS HERE,
BECAUSE THE ROADS
KEEP WASHING OUT.
ROADS DON'T SEEM TO BE
GETTING ANY BETTER
AS WE'RE GETTING
CLOSER TO THE MINE,
BUT IT'S GETTING MORE EXCITING.
WE'RE ARRIVING
AT THE RIO MINERO.
IT'S RIGHT BELOW HERE.
THIS RIVER PASSES BY
ALL OF THE EMERALD MINES.
IT'S THE RICHEST RIVER
IN THE WORLD.
LET'S SEE WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
OH, WOW.
THIS BROAD RIVER CUTS
THROUGH THE FURA AND TENA PEAKS,
WHERE,
ACCORDING TO MUZO LEGEND,
GOD CREATED THE FIRST HUMANS.
TO THE MUZO INDIANS,
THIS AREA WAS ESSENTIALLY
A GARDEN OF EDEN,
AND IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY.
BUT MODERN MAN'S ATTEMPTS
TO TAME THIS AREA
HAVE BEEN MET
WITH SOME CHALLENGES--
CHALLENGES THAT
I LEARNED ABOUT FIRSTHAND
AS WE WERE TOLD
OF SOME OF THE OBSTACLES AHEAD
THAT COULD ADD SEVERAL HOURS
TO OUR ALREADY DIFFICULT DRIVE.
HE'S TELLING US
THAT WE NEED TO GO TO COSCUEZ
BEFORE WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET
TO MUZO GOING THIS WAY.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE
A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
IT'S BEEN RAINING
REALLY A LOT HERE,
AND THE ROADS ARE REALLY BAD
IN A LOT OF PLACES,
BUT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND OUT
TILL WE GET TO COSCUEZ.
WE'RE APPROACHING
THE MINE OF COSCUEZ NOW,
BUT RIGHT OVER HERE
IS PEÑA BLANCA.
THIS IS THE ROAD
THAT GOES TO PEÑA BLANCA.
WE CAN'T GO THERE
BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSEDLY--
IT'S SUPPOSEDLY
VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.
THEY WON'T LET YOU ENTER
OR GO EVEN NEAR THE MINE.
AND FROM HERE TO--
[people shout and whistle]
- [laughs]
I WAS GONNA SAY,
"FROM HERE TO COSCUEZ,
IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS."
[laughs]
BUT, REALLY, THE ONLY DANGER
WE FACED THAT MORNING
WAS THE ROADS.
DRIVING THROUGH THE ANDES,
YOU CAN RUN
INTO ALL SORTS OF TROUBLE,
FROM GUN-TOTING MILITANTS
TO DRUG DEALERS.
BUT LUCKILY
WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED
ANY OF THAT ON THIS TRIP,
AND WE ARRIVED SAFELY AT COSCUEZ
JUST AFTER NOON.
GETTING TO THE MINES
IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH.
GETTING IN THEM
IS ANOTHER STORY ALTOGETHER.
SEGUNDO'S GOOD FRIEND ERNESTO
IS A LOCAL MINE OWNER.
HE'S ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED
MEN IN THE WHOLE AREA,
AND HE WILL BE OUR TICKET
INTO THE MINES.
THIS IS ALDOLPHO ROMERO.
HE'S THE ADMINISTRATOR
HERE AT THE MINE.
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE
TO GO SOMEPLACE
WHERE FEW PEOPLE GET TO GO,
AND HE'S GONNA LET US
HAVE A CLOSER LOOK.
[speaking Spanish]
WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE TYPICAL
OPEN-PIT MINING SCENE.
THE BULLDOZER
DOES MOST OF THE WORK
AS THE MINERS
LOOK FOR TRACES OF EMERALDS,
BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE MINING'S
BEEN DONE BY HAND
IN THE NEARBY TUNNELS.
YOU CAN SEE THESE HOLES
THAT ARE IN THE SIDE
OF THE MOUNTAIN HERE.
THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT,
SEPARATE MINES.
THEY GO INTO THE HILLSIDE,
SOME OF THEM AS MUCH
AS 100 METERS,
AND THEY'RE ALL DUG BY HAND.
THEY'VE FOUND LOTS OF EMERALDS
IN EACH ONE OF THESE.
NOW, WE'RE GONNA GO
DOWN HERE BELOW
AND LOOK AT THE BULLDOZER,
WHERE THE BULLDOZER'S
CLEARING AWAY.
I'D LOVE TO GO
INTO ONE OF THESE HOLES UP HERE.
[laughs]
COSCUEZ HAS PRODUCED
SOME OF THE LARGEST EMERALDS
IN THE WORLD,
INCLUDING THE 7,000 CARAT
EMILIA EMERALD CRYSTAL.
BUT FINDS LIKE THAT
DON'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS
OF BACKBREAKING LABOR
WILL OFTENTIMES YIELD
LITTLE OR NO RESULTS.
AROUND THE PERIMETER
OF THE MINE
IS WHERE YOU FIND
THE GUAQUEROS.
THEY'RE A FAMILIAR SIGHT
IN ALL OF THE EMERALD MINES.
THEY'RE FREELANCE MINERS
WHO SORT THROUGH THE OVERBURDEN
THAT'S BEEN PUSHED OUT
OF THE MINES.
BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN
DIGGING HERE RECENTLY,
WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE NOW IS,
THEY'RE WASHING THE--
THEY'RE WASHING THE--
THE DIRT AND THE ROCKS
TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIND
ANY EMERALDS.
THEY TAKE IT WITH A SHOVEL
AND THEY SPREAD IT OUT
AND SEE IF THEY SEE ANY GREEN.
GUAQUEROS AROUND COLOMBIA
ALL USE THE SAME PROCESS,
SEARCHING FOR EMERALDS
A SHOVELFUL AT A TIME
IN HOPES OF SEEING
THAT GREEN SPARKLE.
THEY LENT ME A SHOVEL SO I COULD
TRY MY HAND AT BEING A GUAQUERO.
IT'S HARD WORK,
BUT AFTER A FEW MINUTES,
I STARTED TO UNDERSTAND.
WITH EVERY SHOVELFUL,
YOU CAN'T HELP BUT IMAGINE
YOU'RE ABOUT TO UNCOVER
A BIG EMERALD.
AND I THINK THAT'S PART
OF THE ATTRACTION
OF BEING A GUAQUERO.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE GAMBLING.
WITH THE NEXT THROW
OF THE DICE,
YOU JUST MIGHT HIT
THAT BIG JACKPOT.
[speaking Spanish]
[laughs]
I DIDN'T FIND ANY EMERALDS,
BUT WE STILL SCORED BIG
WHEN ERNESTO PULLED SOME STRINGS
AND GOT US PERMISSION
TO GO INSIDE
ONE OF THE LARGEST
OPERATING TUNNELS IN COSCUEZ.
WE'RE WALKING DEEP INTO ONE
OF THE TUNNELS HERE IN COSCUEZ.
THESE TUNNELS ARE ONLY ABOUT
ONE METER WIDE
AND NOT EVEN AS TALL AS ME.
THEY'VE TAKEN LOTS OF EMERALDS
OUT OF HERE.
NOW, THEY'RE NOT WORKING
THIS ONE AT THE MOMENT,
BUT THIS IS HOW
THEY'VE ALWAYS TRADITIONALLY
DONE THE MINING HERE.
THERE IS ACTUALLY DOZENS
AND DOZENS OF TUNNELS LIKE THIS
THROUGHOUT THIS MOUNTAINSIDE
WHERE THEY HUNT
FOR THE EMERALDS.
THEY'VE TAKEN MILLIONS
AND MILLIONS
AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH
OUT OF HERE
AND THEY HOPE TO DO
MANY MORE.
THEY USE THESE TUBES HERE
TO PUMP AIR INTO THE DEEPEST
REACHES OF THE TUNNEL.
WHAT IT'S FOR IS TO PUSH OUT
ALL OF THE POISONOUS GASES
AND ALSO TO PUT FRESH AIR IN
FOR THE PEOPLE TO BREATHE.
AND THIS AREA RIGHT HERE--
THERE WAS A LANDSLIDE.
AND THEY'VE PUT
THESE POSTS HERE
TO HOLD BACK
THE EARTH AND THE STONES
FROM COVERING OVER
THE ENTRANCE.
WHEN DIGGING THE TUNNELS,
THE MINERS USE
JACKHAMMERS AND DYNAMITE.
WHEN THEY COME ACROSS
INDICATORS LIKE THIS...
SEE, THAT'S CALCITE
ALL UP IN THERE.
THEY SWITCH TO LIGHTER TOOLS
SO THEY DON'T DAMAGE
OR FRACTURE THE STONES.
THEY THEN START
LOOKING FOR GREEN.
WE COULD'VE SPENT
THE ENTIRE DAY
CHECKING OUT THE LABYRINTH
OF TUNNELS OF COSCUEZ,
BUT WE HAD TO HIT THE ROAD
IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE IT
TO MUZO BEFORE DARK.
I HOPE WE DIDN'T BREATHE
ANY OF THE POISONOUS GASES
THAT THEY'RE TRYING
TO PUMP OUT OF HERE.
[chuckles]
THE DRIVE FROM COSCUEZ TO MUZO
IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
DRIVES IN ALL OF COLOMBIA,
BUT IT'S ALSO ONE
OF THE MOST DANGEROUS.
WE'RE HEADED FOR MUZO NOW,
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD
TO OUR RIDE HERE.
[laughs]
WE THOUGHT THE ROADS TO COSCUEZ
WERE BAD,
BUT THEY WERE NOTHING
COMPARED TO THIS.
REMEMBER THE GUY WE MET
ON THE WAY TO COSCUEZ?
HE WARNED US THERE MIGHT BE
SOME TREACHEROUS ROADS
ON THE WAY TO MUZO.
AND, BOY,
WAS HE RIGHT.
THE HEAVY RAINS
HAD MADE THE DANGEROUS ROADS
EVEN MORE TREACHEROUS.
OOH.
- [groans]
- AND WHEN OUR BACK TIRE
SLIPPED OVER THE EDGE...
WE ALL THOUGHT
WE WERE GONNA DIE.
EVEN SEGUNDO
STARTED SWEATING BULLETS.
- [laughs]
I LOVE YOU, SEGUNDO.
[speaking Spanish]
- LUCKILY, HE'S A GREAT DRIVER
AND KEPT HIS COOL.
ALL I COULD DO WAS LAUGH.
ROBERT FROST SAID
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
FOR US, THE DIFFERENCE
WAS A SHORTER DRIVE
WITH SPECTACULAR VIEWS,
A LITTLE ADVENTURE,
AND A FEW GOOD STORIES
TO SHARE BACK HOME.
all: DOS, TRES, QUESO!
[camera clicking]
- WE FINALLY ARRIVED SAFELY
IN MUZO,
AND AFTER OUR LONG JOURNEY,
WE DECIDED TO TAKE
A TOUR OF THE TOWN.
IT'S AN ACTIVE PLACE
WITH SMALL HOTELS,
SHOPS, A FEW HARDWARE STORES
AND MARKETS.
AND AFTER NEARLY FALLING
TO OUR DEATH,
WE DECIDED WE REALLY NEEDED
TO TRY A LOCAL DRINK.
ALEX, I'LL DRINK FOR YOU.
- THANK YOU.
- OH, NO.
NO, YOU'LL DRINK FOR YOURSELF.
ONE OF THE MANY DANGERS
OF GOING TO THE EMERALD MINES.
[laughter]
SABAJON IS LIKE
A COLOMBIAN EGGNOG...
HERE, HAVE A DRINK OF SABAJON.
WITH RUM.
GOOD, HUH?
[laughs]
WHILE GETTING
OUR MORNING COFFEE,
WE MET A WOMAN WHOSE STORY
IS NOT UNCOMMON IN COLOMBIA.
- [speaking Spanish]
- BACK IN 1995,
HER MOTHER WAS KILLED
IN THE CROSS FIRE
OF A GUNFIGHT
ON THIS VERY CORNER.
NEARLY 3,000 PEOPLE
WERE KILLED
DURING THE EMERALD WARS
OF THE 1990s,
BUT THEY'RE JUST
THE MOST RECENT CASUALTIES
OF A CONFLICT THAT'S BEEN FOUGHT
FOR CENTURIES.
IT'S JUST A FEW MILES
DOWN TO THE RIO MINERO,
WHERE THERE'S A BIG CONTRAST
BETWEEN THE LIFE IN MUZO
AND THE LIFE ON THE RIVER.
DURING SPANISH COLONIZATION,
THE LOCATION
OF THESE EMERALD DEPOSITS
WAS A TIGHTLY HELD SECRET
THAT LED TO YEARS OF FIGHTING.
EVENTUALLY, THE CONQUISTADORS
CLAIMED THE TERRITORY
AND EXPORTED COLOMBIAN EMERALDS
AROUND THE WORLD.
AND WHILE THE NATIVE INDIANS
LOST THEIR BATTLE
WITH THE SPANISH COLONISTS,
THE MUZO MINE
AND THE NEARBY TOWNS
STILL CARY THE NAME OF THE TRIBE
THAT MADE THIS AREA FAMOUS.
IT'S LIKE GOING BACK IN TIME.
IF YOU WERE TO IMAGINE
THE WILD WEST
OR THE TIME OF THE GOLD RUSH,
THIS IS WHAT IT MUST'VE
BEEN LIKE.
HOUSES AND SHACKS
ARE STAGGERED PRECARIOUSLY
ON THE HILLSIDES.
RUNNING WATER AND ELECTRICITY
SIMPLY JUST DO NOT EXIST HERE.
FROM WHAT I COULD SEE,
NOT MUCH HAD CHANGED
SINCE I HAD LAST VISITED,
EXCEPT HOW MOST OF THE MINING
IS BEING DONE.
THIS STREAM HERE COMES DOWN
FROM THE MAIN MINE.
IN THE PAST,
WHAT THEY USED TO DO,
THEY USED TO WORK--
WORK IT AS AN OPEN-PIT MINE.
THEY WOULD USE BULLDOZERS
AND THEY WERE LOOKING
FOR THE VEINS OF EMERALDS.
THEN THEY'D PUSH
TO GET RID OF THE DIRT,
OR WHAT THEY CALL
THE OVERBURDEN--
THEY WOULD PUSH THE DIRT
OVER THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
AND THE STREAM
WOULD CARRY IT DOWN
INTO THE RIO MINERO.
DOWN IN THE RIO MINERO,
THE MINERS,
THE GUAQUEROS,
WOULD LOOK FOR THINGS
ON THEIR OWN INDEPENDENTLY.
ANYTHING THEY FOUND
WAS THEIRS.
BUT UP ON TOP
OF THE MOUNTAIN,
THAT'S WHERE THE MINE--
THE PRINCIPAL MINE--
WAS OPERATING
AND NOBODY WAS ALLOWED IN.
THERE WAS STRICT SECURITY
UP THERE.
SUBMACHINE GUNS--
EVERYBODY WAS ARMED.
NOWADAYS, ALL THEY'RE DOING
IS TUNNELING
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED
TO PUSH THAT DIRT
OVER THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.
IT CLOGS UP THE RIVER
AND IT MAKES IT HARD
ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
BECAUSE OF
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS,
THE MINERS AT MUZO
NOW WORK EXCLUSIVELY IN TUNNELS,
AND WE WERE HOPING TO GET
A LOOK INSIDE OF ONE OF THEM.
[speaking Spanish]
OH, OKAY.
NOT A LOT OF PRODUCTION NOW.
[speaking Spanish]
NOT WORKING IT NOW?
OH, OKAY.
THE MINE MIGHT'VE BEEN CLOSED,
BUT GUAQUEROS WORK EVERY DAY.
WHEN I LAST VISITED MUZO
IN THE MID '80s,
THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF
GUAQUEROS WORKING IN THE RIVER,
BUT THEIR NUMBERS
HAVE DRASTICALLY DROPPED.
WITHOUT THE MINE PUSHING OFF
FRESH OVERBURDEN INTO THE RIVER,
EMERALDS HAVE BECOME
HARDER TO FIND.
TODAY, THERE ARE ONLY
A FEW DOZEN LEFT HERE,
BARELY GETTING BY
ON THE SMALL PIECES
THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND.
[both speaking Spanish]
- 37 YEARS?
 TRIENTA Y SIETE AÑOS, HUH?
- TRIENTA Y SIETE AÑOS.
 - MUCHOS.
- [speaking Spanish]
- [laughs]
YOU'RE 57 YEARS OLD,
AND SO...
SINCE YOU WERE 20 YEARS OLD...
[both speaking Spanish]
- BACK IN THESE HILLS,
THERE ARE FEW OPTIONS
FOR EMPLOYMENT.
SOME PEOPLE MAKE A LIVING
ON SMALL FARMS,
BUT FOR MANY,
THE RIVER IS THEIR
BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR INCOME.
THE MAJORITY OF THE GUAQUEROS
WORK ALONE,
SIFTING THROUGH THE WATER
AND GRAVEL WITH A SHOVEL
OR BREAKING ROCKS
WITH CALCITE VEINS.
OTHERS WORK IN SMALL GROUPS
AS A TEAM.
UH-HUH?
[both speaking Spanish]
- THERE'S PYRITE AND CALCITE
ON THE INSIDE HERE.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF MATERIAL
THAT COMES OUT OF THE VEINS
IN THE EMERALD ZONE.
[speaks Spanish]
[speaking Spanish]
[laughs]
- [speaks Spanish]
[both speaking Spanish]
- 15 CARATS?
WOW.
- [speaks Spanish]
- [speaks Spanish]
5 MILLION PESOS
YOU SOLD IT FOR, UH-HUH?
- UH-HUH, THAT'S SOME MATERIAL
THAT YOU CAN CUT, HE SAYS.
YOU CAN FACET.
GRACIAS, JOSE.
[speaking Spanish]
THEY HAVE SOME EMERALDS
THEY'RE GONNA SHOW ME HERE.
THIS SMALL CONTAINER
OF EMERALDS
WAS THE RESULT OF DAYS,
POSSIBLY WEEKS,
OF BACKBREAKING LABOR.
[speaking Spanish]
- [speaks Spanish]
- [laughs]
YOU ALREADY SOLD THEM, HUH?
THE STONES HE SHOWED ME
WERE WORTH MAYBE $100
ON THE BLACK MARKET.
IT'S RARE FOR A GUAQUERO
TO FIND STONES
WORTH MORE THAN $1,000,
BUT IT CAN HAPPEN.
ONE GREAT FIND
COULD CHANGE THE LIFE
OF NOT JUST THE MINER,
BUT HIS OR HER ENTIRE FAMILY.
AFTER A MORNING
ON THE RIVER,
WE WENT TO THE NEARBY CAMP,
EL MOSATO,
TO EAT WITH SOME
OF THE LOCALS.
MAKESHIFT KITCHENS
SERVED UP EGGS AND BREAD
AND LOTS OF HOSPITALITY.
[laughter]
WE JOKED AND LAUGHED
WITH THE MINERS
AS THEY SHARED WITH US
THEIR STORIES OF THE RIVER
AND THEIR PASSION
FOR EMERALDS.
EMERALD MINING IN MUZO
DATES BACK
TO AT LEAST 1000 A.D.,
WITH SOME ESTIMATES
GOING BACK AS FAR AS 1000 B.C.
IT'S A MAJOR PART
OF THE CULTURE HERE
AND IT WAS AN HONOR
TO GET TO SHARE
IN THAT CONTINUING TRADITION.
WE LEARNED A LOT
OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS
ABOUT MINING
AND THE LIFESTYLE
SURROUNDING TWO OF THE MOST
FAMOUS EMERALD MINES.
BUT NOWHERE WILL YOU FIND
A BETTER SELECTION
OF COLOMBIAN EMERALDS
THAN THE EMERALD DISTRICT
IN DOWNTOWN BOGOTA.
WHERE I LIKE TO GO TO SEE
THE LARGEST VARIETY
AND GET THE BEST STONES
IS THE JIMENEZ AVENUE,
WHERE THE COMISIONISTAS WORK.
THEY EITHER HAVE
OR CAN FIND
ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR:
UNCUT EMERALDS,
CUT EMERALDS,
EMERALDS MOUNTED IN GOLD,
CRYSTALS IN MATRIX,
AND EVEN SCULPTED EMERALDS.
A LOT OF ROCKS, HUH?
[laughs]
THERE'S SOME GREAT DEALS
TO BE FOUND HERE,
IF YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
WITH BUYING AN EMERALD,
YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR CLARITY,
COLOR, BRILLIANCE,
AND THE CUT.
THE CLARITY IS HOW WELL
YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE STONE.
BUT MOST EMERALDS WILL HAVE
SOME IMPERFECTIONS,
SO BE CAUTIOUS
IF IT'S TOO CLEAR.
2 MILLION PESOS.
THAT'S ABOUT...
THAT'S $1,000.
WHEN LOOKING AT COLOR,
THE DARKER, THE BETTER.
BUT ALSO,
THE DARKER THE COLOR,
THE MORE EXPENSIVE THE STONE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING
AT CUT EMERALDS,
YOU WANT THE FACETS
TO BE EVEN.
IT'S THE CUT THAT GIVES
THE STONE ITS BRILLIANCE,
AND THE BRILLIANCE
IS ALL ABOUT THE SPARKLE.
THE MORE SPARKLE,
THE BETTER.
IF YOU LIKE
EMERALD CRYSTALS IN MATRIX,
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE
YOU'RE NOT BUYING
AN UNCUT EMERALD
THAT'S BEEN GLUED TO THE ROCK.
THIS IS A GLUED PIECE.
THIS PIECE IS A REPAIRED
OR GLUED PIECE.
EMERALD COLLECTORS
LOVE THESE STONES
IN THE NATURAL ROCK FORMATION,
AND THE MAIN THING HERE
IS TO LOOK
FOR A NATURAL TERMINATION,
WHERE THE EMERALD
HASN'T BEEN BROKEN
IN THE MINING PROCESS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUY
IN THE STREETS IN BOGOTA,
BE SURE TO STUDY UP
BEFORE YOUR VISIT.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT,
IT'S EASY TO GET CONFUSED
OR RIPPED OFF.
YOUR BEST BET IS TO HAVE
SOMEONE WITH YOU
WHO HAS SOME EXPERIENCE.
NEVER OFFER THE ASKING PRICE
AND ALWAYS KEEP YOUR MONEY
AND PASSPORT SAFELY TUCKED AWAY.
WHEN YOU SEE
SOMETHING YOU REALLY LIKE,
ARRANGE A MEETING
OFF THE STREETS
WHERE YOU CAN
EXAMINE THE SPECIMEN
AND NEGOTIATE
AWAY FROM THE CHAOS.
THERE'S SOME GREAT DEALS
TO BE FOUND HERE,
BUT DO YOUR HOMEWORK FIRST
AND BRING A FRIEND.
WE'VE EXPLORED COLOMBIA
FROM THE STREETS OF BOGOTA
TO TWO OF THE MOST FAMOUS
EMERALD MINES IN THE WORLD
AND STILL ONLY
SCRATCHED THE SURFACE
OF WHAT THIS AMAZING COUNTRY
HAS TO OFFER.
IT'S A RICH COUNTRY,
ALIVE IN SO MANY WAYS,
FROM ITS NATURAL BEAUTY
TO ITS DIVERSE CULTURE.
I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK,
BUT WE HAVE
MANY OTHER PLACES TO EXPLORE.
[harmonica music]
I'M THOMAS NAGIN,
AND I'M A MINERAL EXPLORER.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE 
MORE EPISODES
OR CHECK OUT OUR 
MINERAL COLLECTION,
CLICK THE LINK 
IN THE DESCRIPTION.
AND OF COURSE,
LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE
TO OUR CHANNEL.
THANKS FOR WATCHING
AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON MINERAL EXPLORERS!
