Pakistan has immense reserves of marble, gems and precious minerals. Different varieties of minerals like Peridot, Aquamarine, Topaz in different colours of violet, pink, golden and champagne, Ruby, Emerald, rare-earth minerals Bastnaesite and Xenotime, Sphene, Tourmaline, besides many types of Quartz make the country prominent in the mineral world.

The northern and northwestern parts of the country are shrouded by 3 world-famous mountain ranges called Hindukush, Himalaya, and Karakorum, from where nearly all the minerals, which Pakistan is currently offering to the world market, have been found so far.

The main ruby deposits occur in a dolomitic marble belt spanning over 100 kilometers from Hunza valley to Ishkoman, close to the main Karakorum thrust. The best known deposits of Emerald are located at Mingora, Malakand Division, 160 kilometers northeast of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Swat deposits are producing excellent quality gems, which are considered some of the finest emeralds in the world. Peridot of Indus Kohistan is one of the most beautiful gemstones of Pakistan and is sporadically being mined at different localities. It has already captured market both locally and abroad.

Due to the lack of adequate technologies and facilities for mining and processing, Pakistan has not yet been able to acquire a significant share in the world market.

The Pakistani gem and jewelry sector has strong advantages: the availability of gems as raw materials in abundance, low production costs, talented, energetic and hardworking artisans - all these factors make the jewelry industry of Pakistan's economy promising for investment. There is a huge potential for investment in the mining, cutting and polishing of gemstones and geological exploration.

Pakistan, based on its potential in mineral wealth, can become a great hub of the gemstone industry.