The recent discovery of a tunnel in Fanar, reportedly dug in search of gold, has revived questions about whether the precious metal exists beneath Lebanese soil and why people would resort to unconventional methods to find it.

Stories of buried gold have circulated in Lebanon for generations, with accounts of people claiming to have stumbled upon it while digging their land or renovating old houses. One lawyer even recalled handling a case involving a client who had been digging in the Bekaa Valley in search of gold before the matter escalated into a legal dispute.

But is anyone legally allowed to dig underground in search of gold? And what rules govern excavation activities in Lebanon?

Inherited Tales of Buried Gold

“In popular memory, people constantly talk about gold, but there is no gold,” Sarkis Khoury, director general of antiquities, told Annahar, describing the stories as “inherited rumors” about buried gold in Lebanon.

He stressed that the discovery of small quantities of gold during some archaeological excavations does not mean those excavations are aimed at searching for the metal.

Raw materials found underground belong to the state, Khoury said, adding that digging for antiquities or minerals outside the legally authorized framework constitutes illegal excavation.

What Does Geology Say?

Geology researcher Samir Zaatari told Annahar that Lebanon's geological structure does not contain natural deposits of raw gold.

He explained that the country's rocks are predominantly sedimentary formations created on the beds of ancient seas and oceans, rather than volcanic rocks originating deep beneath the Earth's surface. On that basis, he ruled out the possibility that the Fanar tunnel was dug to search for gold.

As for the stories passed down through generations, Zaatari said discoveries in some areas may involve historical artifacts or objects from ancient human burials, such as jars containing small quantities of gold, rather than naturally occurring deposits of the metal.

Identifying mineral deposits requires specialized studies in mining geology, including rock analysis, examination of geological structures and the identification of areas with potential mineral concentrations, followed by scientific and laboratory testing, he said.

Gold mining, meanwhile, involves extensive horizontal excavation and requires precise scientific expertise. Such practices are not suited to Lebanon's geological characteristics, he added, contrasting them with conditions in mineral-rich African countries.

Is Anyone Allowed to Dig?

Legal expert Karim Daher said there is no specific legal provision in Lebanon that directly sets out the conditions for searching for gold or digging tunnels for that purpose.

But the absence of an explicit provision does not give individuals unrestricted freedom to excavate, he said, noting that ownership of a plot of land does not automatically confer absolute rights over everything beneath it.

The legal treatment of discoveries depends on where they are made and the nature of the materials involved. Items extracted from another person's property or from public land do not become the property of the person who finds them. Such discoveries may constitute an infringement on the rights of others and must be returned or reported to the state, depending on their classification and the applicable legal provisions, Daher said.

If a national treasure or a resource governed by a specific legal regime is discovered on privately owned land, ownership of the property alone does not determine who has the right to exploit it. The state may intervene to regulate the exploitation of the resource or expropriate the property in accordance with the law, he added.

Legal expert Adel Yamin likewise told Annahar that owning land does not give its owner an absolute right to excavate in search of gold or buried treasures. Landowners remain subject to restrictions under Lebanese legislation, particularly laws governing property, antiquities and mining.

Yamin pointed to Article 237 of the Property Law, which provides for the division of treasure discovered underground: three-fifths goes to the landowner, one-fifth to the discoverer and the remaining one-fifth to the public treasury, subject to the restrictions and exceptions set out in the applicable legislation.

That provision does not apply to antiquities, however, which are legally considered state property, he said.

“If the excavation targets gold as a mineral subject to the mining regime, the matter is governed by Decision 113/L.R. concerning the mining system,” Yamin said, adding that the activity is also subject to the conditions and licensing procedures imposed by the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Energy and Water, depending on its nature.

Ultimately, the legality of digging tunnels in search of gold cannot be determined by land ownership alone. It depends on the nature and location of the excavation, the materials being sought and the legal provisions governing antiquities and underground resources in Lebanon.