BANGKOK — Miners in Myanmar have uncovered a rare ruby weighing 11,000 carats, or about 2.2 kilograms, in the country’s war-torn Mogok region, state media reported.
The gemstone, regarded as the second-largest ruby by weight ever found in Myanmar, was discovered in mid-April near Mogok in the upper Mandalay region, long known as the center of the country’s lucrative ruby trade. The find comes amid ongoing instability linked to Myanmar’s civil conflict.
While the stone is smaller than a 21,450-carat ruby discovered in 1996, experts say it may be more valuable due to its quality. It is described as having a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, a color profile highly prized in the gemstone market. In gemology, rubies with strong “pigeon blood” red saturation are considered the most valuable, especially when they exhibit high clarity and minimal inclusions that affect light reflection.
Rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum, the same family as sapphires. Their red color comes from trace amounts of chromium. The most desirable stones often display a vivid glow under light due to internal reflection, a feature that significantly increases their market value.
Myanmar remains the world’s leading source of rubies, accounting for an estimated 90 percent of global supply, largely from Mogok and Mong Hsu. The stones are highly sought after in international jewelry markets, where fine-quality rubies can rival or exceed diamonds in price per carat.
However, the country’s gemstone industry is deeply tied to its political and military landscape. Gems, both legally traded and smuggled, have long served as a major revenue stream for Myanmar’s military authorities as well as various ethnic armed groups operating in mining regions.
Human rights organizations, including Global Witness, have repeatedly urged international buyers to avoid Myanmar-sourced gemstones, citing concerns that the trade helps finance armed conflict.
The Mogok mining area has seen shifting control amid the country’s civil war. It was seized in July 2024 by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, a guerrilla group representing the Palaung ethnic minority, before later returning to military control following a China-mediated ceasefire agreement.
State media reported that Myanmar’s leadership, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, recently inspected the newly discovered ruby in Naypyitaw.
Despite its beauty and commercial appeal, the discovery underscores the complex intersection of natural wealth and prolonged conflict in Myanmar, where some of the world’s most valuable gemstones continue to emerge from one of its most unstable regions.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
