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11,000-Carat Ruby Unearthed
Myanmar’s state media confirmed the discovery of an 11,000-carat ruby in mid-April near Mogok in the upper Mandalay region, and the Global New Light of Myanmar said on May 8 that it had been found.
““exceptionally large, rare and difficult to find””
The CBS News report cited alongside the state announcement said it ranks as Myanmar’s second-largest ruby by weight, while ABC News described the rough stone as measuring 11,000 carats (2.2 kilograms, or 4.8 pounds).
ABC News said the ruby was unearthed just after the traditional New Year festival and described it as having a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, moderate transparency and a highly reflective surface.
The Straits Times reported that Myanmar’s new military-backed government said the ruby was “exceptionally large, rare and difficult to find” and said it was more valuable than a 21,450-carat ruby found in 1996 because of “superior colour, clarity and overall quality” without giving a precise value.
Inspection and Political Context
The discovery quickly moved from the Mogok area to Naypyitaw, where President Min Aung Hlaing inspected the stone at his office with Vice-Presidents U Nyo Saw and Nan Ni Ni Aye and other senior officials including the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services General Ye Win Oo.
Kurdistan24 said the Global New Light of Myanmar reported that the leadership inspected the unpolished stone at the President's Office hall, and it described the ruby as remaining “entirely in its natural state, having undergone no artificial treatments or enhancements.”
ABC News linked the inspection to Myanmar’s political transition, saying a new, ostensibly civilian government was installed this year after elections described by human rights and opposition groups as a sham, with the vote returning President Min Aung Hlaing to power.
The Daily Galaxy added that Mogok was not under government control when the ruby was found, saying the Ta’ang National Liberation Army seized the town in July 2024 and ran its gem mines for more than a year before a China-brokered ceasefire transferred authority back to Myanmar’s military.
Revenue, Conflict, and Scrutiny
Multiple outlets tied Myanmar’s ruby trade to funding for armed groups and the wider civil war, with ABC News saying gemstone mining serves as a primary source of funding for ethnic armed groups fighting for autonomy and that the security of mining regions remains volatile.
“warning that every transaction helps prolong the conflict”
CBS News and ABC News both described Myanmar as producing as much as 90% of the world’s rubies, and ABC News said the industry has served as a vital revenue stream for Myanmar’s military governments over several decades.
The Daily Galaxy said Global Witness has pressed international jewelers to stop buying Myanmar gemstones, warning that every transaction helps prolong the conflict, while ABC News said human rights activists and organizations such as Global Witness have urged jewelers to stop purchasing gems sourced from Myanmar.
Phys.org reported Myanmar’s government statement calling the ruby “exceptionally large, rare, and difficult to find,” and it said the government described the stone as more valuable “due to its superior color, clarity, and overall quality” without giving a precise value.
