Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** This investigation by Prabhat Khabar reveals a significant gemstone reserve in Jharkhand’s Gurabanda block, with an estimated 6,700 kg of emeralds and sapphires valued in the billions. The findings underscore the region’s untapped mineral wealth and raise questions about resource management and local impact.
By Md Parwez / Kush Mahto
The land of Gurabanda block, located about 70 km from the Ghatshila sub-divisional headquarters in East Singhbhum district and bordering Odisha, is rich with gemstones. The geology department has confirmed through surveys, tests, and inspections that there is a reserve of approximately 6,700 kg of emerald and sapphire stones in the depths of the hills and dense forests here. The value of the emeralds here is estimated to be in the billions of rupees. The geology department has also claimed that the emeralds from Gurabanda are of high quality. According to stone traders, the price of one ratti (182.25 mg) is about 5,000 rupees.
By this calculation, the value of one kilogram of emerald is 27,434,842 rupees. Attention is now on the government. If emerald mining starts here, the government will not only receive crores of rupees in revenue but also provide employment to hundreds of villagers. Emerald mining in Gurabanda has been happening since before 2012, but people were unaware of it; they sold the stones to outside traders at labor rates, thinking they were ordinary stones. However, when a tunnel collapsed during emerald mining, killing three workers, the emerald reserve was exposed. Since then, the precious emerald mines in Gurabanda have been sealed.
Despite this, cases of illegal mining and smuggling have come to light from time to time, raising questions about the vigilance and surveillance of the police and administration. It has already been revealed that stone traders from West Bengal, Jaipur (Rajasthan), Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh have their eyes on the precious emeralds of Gurabanda. This has been exposed on several occasions, and many people have been caught in the past.
So far, four people have died due to tunnel collapses during clandestine emerald mining: In 2012, three people died simultaneously in a mine collapse. It was then that the secret of the emerald reserve here was revealed. In 2012, during illegal mining, a tunnel collapse killed three people from Benidangar (Gurabanda): Jhapol Murmu, Ravi Murmu (both brothers), and Badrinath Murmu. Subsequent investigations revealed the precious emerald reserve. Illegal emerald mining had been going on here for a year before that, unbeknownst to the department and administration. After the incident, mining stopped for a few days but then resumed clandestinely. Then, on December 31, 2023, Jhabu Murmu (21) died in a soil collapse. After such incidents and police raids, mining stops for a few days but is then restarted by mining mafias.
In cases related to emerald mining and smuggling, seven people have been booked and sent to jail so far. Additionally, FIRs have been registered against several others. Some have been released from jail, while others are still incarcerated. In the most recent case, three people were caught in Baharagora while smuggling emeralds from Gurabanda; the emeralds were intended to be sent to Kolkata. More than one kilogram of emeralds was seized, valued in the crores of rupees.
In police actions so far, nearly three kilograms of emeralds have been seized. Stone traders from Jaipur (Rajasthan), Uttar Pradesh, and other states have been frequenting Gurabanda for its emeralds. Before 2012, a large number of stone traders from Jaipur (Rajasthan), Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Bengal used to come to Gurabanda. These people would pay local laborers wages and take away emeralds worth crores or billions of rupees. The local people were unaware at the time that these stones were so valuable. Outsiders became immensely wealthy from the emeralds here, while the locals still live in poverty.
Gurabanda police station in-charge Sumit Kumar said that the mine was sealed eight months ago. Mining has completely stopped since then.
Emerald mines are located in the hills of Barunmuthi, Thurkugoda, and Bautia in Gurabanda. The geology department had previously surveyed and stated that emeralds are present up to a depth of twenty meters in the mines. The department has also sent its report to the central and state governments. However, no meaningful initiative has been taken regarding the auction so far. As a result, the precious emeralds are being looted, and people who are savvy about emeralds are becoming wealthy.
