While fear continues to grow in Colombia’s central Boyaca state over emerald trade-related violence, locals are complaining that they see little revenue from an industry which benefits just a few ...

MUZO, Colombia — Although he has helped transform Colombia's emerald industry, long a source of violence and environmental damage, former U.S. diplomat Charles Burgess admits that he got into the ...

The necklace and earrings that belonged to Marie Louise of Austria, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, contain gems extracted ...

In a life crammed with surprises, perhaps none was greater than the fact that Victor Carranza, Colombia’s emerald czar, should pass away in a hospital bed at the respectable age of 77. Even into his ...

Five centuries after Spanish conquistadors plundered the riches of Colombia, foreigners are returning to the country to mine emeralds near the mountain village of Chivor. This time around, the ...

Job scarcity and the hope of striking it rich are driving women to pursue mining despite the grueling conditions. Colombian emeralds are highly valued globally, with the potential for significant ...

The world’s top producer of emeralds is eyeing investment in Colombia as the Andean nation quietly moves to put a stop in its faltering production and prevent a so-called “mafia war” from breaking out ...

The chopper touched down on the hillside helipad and Charles Burgess, a cigar-chomping former U.S. government employee, stepped out to survey the full sweep of his Andean domain. Since before the ...

NPR ventures into a Colombian emerald mine — which used to be more dangerous, with potential explosions inside and gunfights outside. The CEO, a... Inside the emerald mines that make Colombia a global ...