Hundreds of men in eastern Afghanistan are scouring riverbeds for tiny flecks of gold as they seek alternative sources of income in a country with limited employment opportunities, according to recent reports.

In Kunar province, along the rugged slopes of the Hindu Kush near Pakistan, groups of workers dig into the rocky bed of the Kunar River, sifting through stones and sediment in search of gold dust. 

The labour-intensive process involves excavating rocks from dry sections of the riverbed and washing them with water to separate out potential gold particles. In some areas, men carry heavy sacks of material down steep slopes before filtering it through sieves and pans. 

For many, the work is driven by economic necessity. One miner, a father of eight who left construction work in Kabul, said the lack of job opportunities had forced him to find income wherever possible. 

Despite the effort, returns are modest. Gold pieces are often “smaller than a grain of wheat,” though some workers report finding up to one gram in a week, which can fetch around 8,000 Afghanis (about $125). 

Gold panning in the region has been practiced for more than a decade, with techniques passed on from miners in other parts of the country. Local officials estimate that thousands of people are now engaged in the activity, which is permitted when done using traditional methods. 

Authorities have, however, faced pressure from residents to curb the use of heavy machinery in mining, citing concerns about environmental damage to rivers and surrounding mountains. 

Afghanistan’s mineral resources have long been underdeveloped due to decades of conflict, but interest in the sector has grown in recent years, with authorities promoting mining as a potential driver of economic activity.