Pure green: Colombian emerald mine La Pita

La Pita is an emerald mine located in the western belt of the Colombian emerald mining area in the department of Boyacá. Currently, the Colombian company Zuliana De Esmeraldas Ltda operates in it.

Known as one of Colombia's largest emerald mines, La Pita has become one of the most renowned sites in the Boyacá department. From its veins, the largest and highest quality emeralds in Colombia are extracted.

This mine, famous for containing the highest intensity of greens in emeralds, is located between the mines of Muzo and Coscuez in the mining district of Maripi, Boyacá, also delimiting the so-called Mining River or Río Minas.

Learn more about this important mine in this article, let's see.

History of La Pita

The origin of the La Pita mine dates back to the event of construction of an access road for its inhabitants. The workers and owners of the land descended to the so-called "Rio Minero" and noticed a yellow patch of land accompanied by the lutitas (sedi sedimentary rocks) altered with black carbonate of the same formation as their neighbors of Muzo.

This area, which is known as Amarillal, marked the establishment of the La Pita mine. The entrance to this mine was first opened in a ravine on the side of the mountain near the Mining River and stretches approximately 500 meters (1,600 feet) until the tunnel makes contact with the main fault that runs through the La Pita property.

Since then, La Pita has been one of the largest contributors to the production of emeralds in Colombia, sometimes producing more than 80% of the total emerald production in Colombia.

After several years of consensus on land ownership, in 2016, and after three failed attempts, a company, whose name is reserved, is looking for the total operation of the La Pita Mine and participation as a company in Zuliana De Esmeraldas Ltda.

Emeralds of La Pita

It is believed that this mine may contain one of the largest emerald deposits in Colombia. In recent years production has been drastically high and has undoubtedly become the most important emerald mine in the commercial sector in the country, representing 30% and 55% of the annual production of Colombian emerald.

The chrome content in many of the emeralds of this municipality is ideal and allows its color, light and brightness to be optimal to ensure that this Colombian emerald is recognized for its high quality worldwide, in addition to possess very typical inclusions that become its seal of identity with respect to emeralds from other regions of the world.

In each Colombian mine they lie fine emeralds of quality, but the mine of La Pita produces what is considered to be some of the best emeralds in the world, since they are the most intense colored. The vast majority of commercially available emeralds come from La Pita.

Among its most outstanding characteristics are:

• Color: the emeralds from this mine have an intense green color, also called pure green. In fact, it is this color that makes them stand out above the gems of other regions of the country, although it is known that in this territory the emeralds with the greatest variety of green tones are extracted in Colombia.
• Clarity: in terms of clarity and transparency, it should be clarified that all emeralds are different and there is no equal to another. However, emeralds predominate in this region with moderate inclusions that make it have a weak A-grade clarity.

Paula A. Bonilla

Social communicator and journalist from Sergio Arboleda University in Colombia. She is also a jeweler and is passionate about constantly learning about precious gems and national high jewelry.

Currently, she is working for one of Bogotá's most important jewelry stores, Emerald by Love. This jewelry store has over 40 years of experience and has 2 physical branches in the capital city of Colombia, located in the city center.