miners in business. “The miners know they will get some income even if they don’t find fine gems,” wrote Pardieu. “Not much, but enough to keep them mining.” Studying the local way of life, Pardieu also found that many people chose the hard life of gemstone mining because it gave them hope. “Many people in Luc Yen hope to get lucky,” he wrote. “They know that they will never be rich farming rice, but gemstone mining might change their life.” These miners use a range of excavation techniques, depending on what they’re mining. In Luc Yen, ruby forms in bands of marble. Having located the vein, men drill a deep hole to set an explosion and excavate the host rock. Peridot is mined in deep, hand-dug pits, while pale blue spinel is extracted using hand tools and a jackhammer. Heavy machinery is rare in the Vietnamese gem mines. According to the GIA: “Excavators and high-pressure water hoses are used in some places, but most of the miners use basic tools, washing with rattan buckets and picking the gemstones by hand.” Once mined, earth-dug gemstones must be transported to the valley. Local men and women, often from ethnic minorities, are hired to carry the rocks on their shoulders for as little as VND3,000 per kilogram. Miners tend to be between 17 and 35 years old, and although the terrain is treacherous, one man or woman can carry up to 80kg.
“Once mined, earth-dug gemstones must be transported to the valley. Local men and women, often from ethnic minorities, are hired to carry the rocks on their shoulders… Although the terrain is treacherous, one man or woman can carry up to 80kg”
wordvietnam.com | December 2016 Word | 109