Afghans comb riverbed in search of gold dust

April 17, 2026 / 12:04 AM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: In the rugged Hindu Kush mountains of eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of men are digging into the rocky bed of the Kunar River in search of tiny traces of gold dust, hoping to earn a basic income in difficult economic conditions.

Hard labour along the Kunar River

At the foot of snow-dusted peaks near the Pakistan border, workers sift through rocks and sediment in dry riverbeds, using river water to filter out fine particles that may contain gold, in areas surrounding Kharwalu village in Kunar province.

Struggling for livelihoods amid job shortages

Many, like 45-year-old Delawar who left construction work in Kabul, say limited job opportunities force them into gold panning, even though the amount recovered is often minimal and rarely more than specks.

Intensive manual extraction process

Further downstream in Ghaziabad, prospectors use picks, sacks, sieves, and makeshift tools to break down mountain rock and wash sediment repeatedly in hopes of isolating small gold flakes.

Small earnings from gold finds

Workers say the effort can yield up to one gram of gold per week, worth around 8,000 Afghanis ($125), offering a modest but vital source of income.

Traditional methods under local regulation

Local officials say gold panning has existed for over a decade in Kunar, with thousands of residents involved using traditional methods permitted by authorities, although concerns remain over environmental impact from machine use.