| SKARDU, GILGIT and ASTORE are some | | | | rock and all this indicates that safety standards |
| mountainous regions in Pakistan where different | | | | are also required to be improve. |
| minerals and gemstones have been producing for | | | | There is no trained staff which can provide first |
| the past 40 years. These locations are known as | | | | aid in case of some emergency. Most of the time, |
| geologically active locations, and they offer a | | | | miners could be seen climbing the mountains |
| great advantage to prospectors and gemologists | | | | without proper climbing techniques, as they don't |
| to locate mineral and gem deposits with greater | | | | have proper mountain climbing equipment. Most of |
| rock outcrops exposure. | | | | them are also not aware of extreme mountain |
| These mountainous regions are blessed with | | | | climbing techniques. |
| various kinds of precious and semi-precious | | | | These miners are not only using old drilling |
| gemstones, but the sad fact is that this treasure | | | | equipment, but they are also not fully aware of |
| of abundant hidden wealth is not being fully utilized | | | | the latest blasting and drilling techniques and there |
| for different political, social and financial issues. The | | | | is a dire need to improve these techniques. |
| biggest hurdles in this connection are lack of | | | | According to some reports, miners often seem |
| funding, inattention, lack of modern equipment and | | | | to drill one to three holes in one round and they |
| skilled labor. | | | | can't make more than a 30cm tunnel in a day |
| These different mineral and gemstone producing | | | | most of the time. |
| areas of the country are deprived of the latest | | | | With such drilling they succeed to make only |
| equipment of mining, engineers' expertise and | | | | 45cm deep holes, as petrol drill is used that is |
| usual safety standards. At present, Chinese made | | | | considered a proper drill only to drill vertical holes, |
| rock drills are being used by most of the miners | | | | and it is often not suitable for horizontal drilling. |
| on the surface as well as underground. | | | | The miners must use a proper drilling pattern and |
| Without proper airing, miners often have to stop | | | | it can be quite beneficial if they drill horizontally |
| work when they cannot light a fuse anymore | | | | than vertically. |
| because of air pollution or lack of oxygen. There | | | | Pakistan can be leader of gemstone industry in |
| are 40,000 people working as miners in the | | | | this region if proper attention is given to improve |
| northern areas of Pakistan, and most of them | | | | mining techniques and equipment. It's, indeed, a |
| have been found with lung diseases that occur | | | | trillion dollar industry, but just like many other |
| because of carbon monoxide poisoning and | | | | fields in Pakistan, it's a victim of self-interest and |
| silicosis. But most of deaths occur because of | | | | inattention. |
| burying in rock falls or from falling from some | | | | |