Zambian Emeralds: A Source That Now Matters
A Zambian emerald is an emerald extracted from the deposits of Zambia's Copperbelt province, mainly from the Kagem mine in the Kafubu area. Zambia is the world's second largest emerald producer behind Colombia, and that site alone supplies around 25 % of world production.
Zambian emeralds stand out for a green that is bluer and darker than that of Colombian stones, due to the presence of iron in the host rock. They generally have fewer visible inclusions, which makes them clearer stones and more resistant to faceted cutting. Their price per carat remains lower than that of Colombian stones of comparable quality.
For a long time, talking about emeralds meant talking about Colombia. Since the 2010s, Zambia has carried real weight on the world market, above all by volume.
Zambia's place on the world market
Zambia is the world's second largest emerald producer by value, behind Colombia. But by volume, it regularly overtakes it. The producing region is concentrated in the Copperbelt province, in the north-center of the country, around the Kafubu river.
The commercial history of the Zambian emerald is recent. The first discoveries of beryl in the area date back to 1928, but significant mining only began in the 1970s. The market really took shape from 2008, when the British group Gemfields took over the running of the Kagem mine in partnership with the Zambian government.
Today, Zambia cushions the swings of the world market. When Colombian production fluctuates or exports are disrupted, Zambia supplies the workshops of Jaipur, Bangkok and Antwerp. Since 2009, Gemfields has auctioned more than one billion dollars of rough Zambian emeralds in Singapore and Bangkok.
The major mines: Kagem and the Kafubu area
South of Kitwe and west of Ndola, this area accounts for the bulk of Zambian production. It covers around 200 km² classified by the government as the Ndola Rural Emerald Restricted Area.
Kagem, the largest emerald mine in the world
Owned 75 % by Gemfields and 25 % by the Zambian government through the Industrial Development Corporation, it is the largest open-pit operation in the sector. The site covers 41 km² and reaches 160 meters deep in its main pit, Chama.
Kagem alone produces around 25 % of world emerald production. In 2024, it extracted 40.3 million carats of emerald and beryl, of which 159,351 carats were classified as "premium" quality. The mine employs around 1,150 people and is certified ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 45001 (health and safety).
The other mines in the area
- Grizzly Mining: the area's second producer, an independent operation
- Kamakanga: a historic deposit, more artisanal production
- Chantete and Pirala: smaller sites, complementary production
- Chibolele and Fibolele: extensions of the Kagem perimeter, opened more recently
Added to Kagem, these mines take Zambia's share well beyond 25 % of world production.
The particular geology of Zambian emeralds
Zambian emeralds belong to the category of schist-hosted deposits, in the same way as emeralds from Brazil, Madagascar or Russia. This sets them apart geologically from Colombian emeralds, which form in sedimentary rocks.
Crystallization occurs where two types of rock meet: a talc-magnetite schist rich in chromium and iron, and pegmatites rich in beryllium. The emeralds form in the reaction zone between the two, where these chemical elements combine.
Zambian emeralds are among the oldest in the world: crystallization took place around 500 million years ago, in metamorphic rocks themselves 1.6 billion years old. By comparison, Colombian emeralds are "only" 30 to 65 million years old.
Zambian color: why that blue cast
The visual signature of Zambian emeralds is their slightly bluish green, often darker than that of Colombian stones. This shade is no accident of the deposit: it comes directly from the chemistry of the host rock.
Every emerald draws its green from a coloring agent that replaces aluminum in the beryl structure. In Colombia, that agent is mainly chromium, which gives a pure, warm green. In Zambia, chromium is present too, but accompanied by a notable amount of iron. Iron adds a blue component to the hue, shifting the color toward blue-green.
Practical consequences for the buyer:
- A denser, deeper green under certain lights
- A more stable color across lighting conditions than Colombian stones (which can look greener in sunlight and yellower under artificial light)
- Stones that are often darker at equal weight, which can suit yellow gold or rose gold settings better
Colombia or Zambia: the differences between the two emeralds
The two origins are not opposed, they offer different characters. Here is a summary comparison.
| Criterion | Zambia | Colombia |
|---|---|---|
| Dominant hue | Bluish green, darker | Pure green to slightly yellowish green, warmer |
| Coloring agents | Chromium + iron | Chromium + vanadium |
| Type of deposit | Schists (Type IA) | Sedimentary rocks (Type IIB) |
| Characteristic inclusions | Two-phase inclusions (liquid + gas), actinolite, magnetite | Three-phase inclusions (crystal + liquid + gas) |
| Average clarity | Often clearer, fewer visible inclusions | More included, the "jardin" is more pronounced |
| Color stability | More stable across lighting | More variable across lighting |
| Price per carat (equal quality) | 20 to 40 % lower on average | The market's high reference |
| Market availability | High, steady production | Medium, more artisanal production |
The choice between Zambia and Colombia depends on taste and budget. On the same budget, a Zambian stone lets you aim for a higher quality. The Colombian stone remains the reference for a pure, warm green, provided you accept more inclusions and a higher price.
Two other origins compare usefully with the Zambian stone. The Afghan emerald, whose finest Panjshir stones stand comparison with the Colombians, and the Australian emerald, rich in iron as well, born like the Zambian in schists.
The price of Zambian emeralds
The price of a Zambian emerald follows the same 4C logic as every emerald, color, clarity, cut and carat weight. But at comparable quality, a discount of 20 to 40 % is observed against an equivalent Colombian stone.
Here is an order of magnitude for the 2026 market (faceted stones):
| Quality | Price per carat |
|---|---|
| Commercial (average color, visible inclusions) | 50 to 250 € |
| Good quality (saturated green, few visible inclusions) | 500 to 1,800 € |
| Fine quality (vivid bluish green, transparent) | 2,500 to 8,000 € |
| Exceptional (heavy weight, saturated color, superior clarity) | 10,000 € and above |
Gemfields auctions give a useful benchmark: in September 2025, the average price of higher-quality rough stones stood at USD 160.78 per carat. Once cut, polished and certified, these stones are resold at 5 to 10 times that price on the retail market.
Looking to understand emeralds before you buy?
At Johya, we hand-pick our emeralds in Colombia, and every stone comes with its reference, its weight recorded at each stage and its laboratory report. Our country guides help you compare origins before you choose.
Frequently asked questions about Zambian emeralds
Is a Zambian emerald inferior to a Colombian emerald?
No, just different. Zambia produces stones with a bluer, darker green, generally with fewer visible inclusions than Colombian stones. At comparable quality they cost 20 to 40 % less, a sensible choice for anyone who wants good color without paying the premium of Colombian origin.
How do you recognize a Zambian emerald?
Color is the first clue: the green leans toward blue and stays dark. Under a loupe, the inclusions differ: Zambian stones tend to contain two-phase inclusions (liquid and gas) with actinolite or magnetite crystals. Colombian stones have characteristic three-phase inclusions. To settle it, you need a report from a recognized laboratory, which gives an opinion on origin.
Are Zambian emeralds oil treated?
Like almost all emeralds on the market, yes. Filling the fissures, with cedar oil, paraffin or resin, improves visual transparency. This applies to Zambian stones as much as to Colombian ones. The degree of clarity enhancement (minor, moderate, significant) appears on the laboratory report.
Is Zambia really the world's second producer?
Yes, by value of gem-quality stones. The Kagem mine alone produces around 25 % of world emerald production. By rough volume, Zambia even regularly overtakes Colombia. The reference by value nevertheless remains Colombia, whose high-quality stones sell for more.
What is the largest emerald found in Zambia?
The Inkalamu, or "Lion Emerald", discovered in 2018 at Kagem. It weighed 5,655 ct, that is around 1.1 kg. It was sold to the Indian jeweler Diacolor for an undisclosed price. Gemfields donated 10 % of the sale to wildlife conservation programs.
Source cited. For the gemological characteristics and the mapping of Zambian deposits, see the GIA study on the Kagem mine.
