- Miners in Myanmar have unearthed a colossal ruby weighing 11,000 carats (2.2 kilograms), marking it as the second-largest by weight ever discovered in the country.
- Found in mid-April near Mogok, a key gem-mining area, the ruby is deemed more valuable than a larger 1996 find due to its exceptional color and clarity.
- Myanmar is responsible for producing up to 90% of the world's rubies, with the gem trade serving as a significant revenue source for the nation.
- Human rights organizations have urged jewelers to avoid purchasing gems from Myanmar, citing the industry's role in funding successive military governments and ethnic armed groups.
- The discovery occurs amidst ongoing civil war and volatility in Myanmar's gem-mining regions, which have experienced shifts in control between the military and armed groups.
IN FULL
