COLOMBIAN WOMEN DIG IN MUD OF MURKY STREAM DOWNHILL FROM EMERALD MINE IN MUZU, 2003-04-10 (photo)

Colombian women dig in the mud of a murky stream downhill from an emerald mine in Muzu, northern Colombia, in this photo taken April 10, 2003. Early each morning, thousands of desperate people, including many women and children, emerge from the flimsy shacks on the hills surrounding the mine with shovels, picks and sieves and attack the stream looking for overlooked emeralds. Colombia is the world's largest producer of emeralds. In 2002, Colombia exported about one ton (tonne) of the rare, green variety of beryl, mostly to jewelLers in Europe and the United States. It brought in $91.7 million. REUTERS/Eliana Aponte PP03050110 EA