Massive 11,000-carat ruby unearthed in Myanmar’s war-scarred gemstone heartland

Key Points:

• Miners in Myanmar discovered an 11,000-carat (2.2 kg) ruby near Mogok, making it the second-largest ruby ever found in the country and notable for its high quality and purplish-red hue.
• The ruby was unearthed in mid-April, shortly after Myanmar’s traditional New Year festival, in a region known for its lucrative gem-mining industry amid ongoing civil conflict.
• Myanmar produces about 90% of the world’s rubies, with gemstones being a significant revenue source for both the military government and ethnic armed groups involved in the country’s internal conflicts.
• Human rights groups have urged jewelers to boycott Myanmar gems due to their connection to military funding and abuses, despite a new government installed this year that is still led by military leader Min Aung Hlaing.
• The newly discovered ruby was recently inspected by President Min Aung Hlaing and his Cabinet in Naypyitaw, underscoring the gemstone’s political and economic significance in Myanmar.