All that glitters
Treasure hunters endure tough conditions in Colombian emerald hub Muzo
In this small community in the foothills of the eastern Andes mountains, multinational mining company Esmeraldas Mining Services deposits tons of earth it has processed from its operations into a cage-like enclosure.
A few times a month, the mining company allows hundreds of miners — known as "guaqueros" or treasure hunters — to search through the detritus and take home any precious stones they find.
Emerald hunters come to Muzo, a town of about 9,000 inhabitants about 200 kilometers north of the capital Bogota, from all over South America.
Among the miners is Miguel Hernandez, 72, who grips a cane as he waits outside the cage, where some hopefuls have lined up since 3 am.
"May our Heavenly Father give me a gift so I can buy a new home …it's what I want most," he said.
