Overview
- State media showcased an 11,000-carat rough ruby found near Mogok and released photos taken in President Min Aung Hlaing’s office in Naypyidaw.
- Officials say the five-pound stone ranks behind a 21,450-carat ruby found in 1996 as the country’s second-largest on record.
- Government statements describe a purplish-red color, notable transparency, and a highly reflective surface that they claim could boost its value.
- The discovery comes from a mining hub hit by recent fighting, with Mogok seized in July 2024 by the TNLA and later returned to army control under a China-brokered ceasefire.
- Rights groups urge jewelers to avoid Myanmar gems, saying both legal and illegal trade routes have long funded the military and some ethnic armed groups.