Massive 11,000-carat ruby unearthed by miners in Myanmar, officials say
CBS News • • world
Key Points:
- Miners in Myanmar discovered an 11,000-carat (4.8-pound) ruby near Mogok, the second-largest ruby by weight ever found in the country, noted for its superior color and quality compared to a larger 1996 find.
- The ruby has a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, moderate transparency, and a highly reflective surface, making it more valuable despite being half the size of the 21,450-carat stone found previously.
- Myanmar produces about 90% of the world’s rubies, with the gem industry serving as a significant revenue source for both the military government and ethnic armed groups amid ongoing civil conflict.
- The region where the ruby was found remains volatile, with control of the Mogok mining area shifting between ethnic armed groups like the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar army under a China-mediated ceasefire.
- Human rights groups have urged jewelers to boycott Myanmar rubies due to the industry's financial support of military regimes accused of human rights abuses, despite the recent installation of a nominally civilian government led by the military chief Min Aung Hlaing.
