Massive 11,000-Carat Ruby Discovered In Myanmar
BANGKOK (AP) — Miners in Myanmar have discovered a rare ruby of enormous size, thought to be the second largest by weight ever found in the conflict-torn Southeast Asian nation, state media reported Friday.
The ruby, weighing 11,000 carats (2.2 kilograms or 4.8 pounds), was unearthed near the town. Mogokin the Upper Mandalay region, the heart of the lucrative gem mining industry, which has recently been the site of intense fighting in the country’s wide-ranging civil war.
The newly found rough ruby was discovered in mid-April, just after the traditional New Year festival, according to a report by the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar.
Although it weighs roughly half the weight of the 21,450-carat (4.29 kilograms or 9.45 pounds) stone found in 1996, the new discovery is considered more valuable because of its superior color and quality. It is described as having a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, a high-quality color grade, moderate transparency, and a highly reflective surface.
Myanmar produces 90% of the world’s rubies, primarily Mogok and Mong Hsu. Gemstones, both legally traded and smuggled, are an important source of income for Myanmar. Organizations such as human rights activists and a UK-based research and lobby group Global Witness called jewelers will stop buying jewelry sourced from Myanmar because the industry has served as a vital source of revenue for military governments for decades.
A. new, ostensibly civilian government was founded this year, but followed elections It has been described as fake by human rights and opposition groups. The vote returned to power President Min Aung HlaingThe chief of staff who led the latest military takeover in 2021. He and his Cabinet recently examined the giant ruby in his office in the capital Naypyitaw.
Gemstone mining also serves as a primary source of funding for ethnic armed groups fighting for autonomy, a factor that has helped fuel decades of civil conflict.
The security of these mining regions remains unstable. Mogok caught In July 2024, by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, a guerrilla force representing the Palaung ethnic minority. Although the TNLA took over and operated the mines, control was eventually transferred back to the Myanmar military as part of an agreement. Ceasefire agreement brokered by China It was concluded late last year.
