According to a statement from the Panjshir provincial media office, 8,628 carats of emeralds extracted from local mines were sold through open bidding for close to half a million U.S. dollars.
The statement noted that both domestic and international traders participated in the auction.
It added that the extraction and sale of precious stones has boosted employment in the province, and under the governor’s recent initiative 100 young residents have launched the precious stones trade.