Editor’s Note
This article highlights a critical supply chain vulnerability in China’s emerging “Chinese Emerald” industry, triggered by the prolonged closure of a key tungsten mine in Yunnan. It underscores how external market forces and operational challenges can threaten the viability of nascent sectors, leaving them without essential raw materials.
The supply chain has been severed, leaving the nascent “Chinese Emerald” gemstone industry facing a situation of having “no rice to cook.” During a visit to Malipo County in Yunnan Province on the 26th, reporters learned that due to falling international tungsten prices and rising mining costs, a large tungsten mine in Malipo County ceased operations in 2015 and has remained idle since. This shutdown has led to a suspension in the supply of raw emerald gemstone materials from Malipo. Affected by the supply shortage and market demand both domestically and internationally, the price of high-quality Chinese emeralds has increased severalfold.
Emeralds are highly popular in the international market and are known as one of the “World’s Five Precious Gemstones” alongside diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and chrysoberyl. Emeralds are produced in Colombia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and China’s Yunnan Province, among other places.
In 1992, a geological survey team from the Yunnan Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources discovered an emerald deposit in the Dayakou area of Mengdong Township, Malipo County, Wenshan Prefecture. This became the first and only emerald deposit with development prospects within China. Later, the emeralds produced in Malipo were named “Chinese Emerald.”
Shi Yongming, President of the Malipo Tianbao Emerald Association, introduced that the emeralds produced in Malipo are known for their vibrant color, complete crystal forms, and large rough stone sizes, but they suffer from poor transparency and numerous cracks. In the past, they were mostly collected as mineral specimens. With improvements in processing technology, Malipo emeralds gradually became known. After the “Chinese Emerald” market formed seven years ago, market demand has been continuously increasing, with high-quality emeralds particularly sought after by consumers both in China and abroad.
Li Shenghui, Deputy County Chief of Malipo, told reporters that Malipo emeralds are mined alongside local tungsten deposits. Due to falling international tungsten prices and rising mining costs, a large tungsten mine in Malipo County ceased operations in 2015 and has remained closed.
