Significantly, these mines were not very far from the lapis lazuli and spinel ("Balas Ruby") mines in Badakhshan, and, although separated by the formidable Pamir Mountains, routes across them were apparently in use from very early times.
Disse miner lå ikke langt fra lapis lazuli-kilden og spinel- («Balas rubin») minerne i Badakshan, og selv om de var separeret af de vældige Pamirbjerge, blev ruterne mellem dem tidligt taget i brug.