Posted on 05/09/2026 8:29:32 PM PDT by Red Badger
Miners in Myanmar have discovered a rare ruby of enormous size, considered to be the second-largest by weight ever found in the conflict-battered Southeast Asian nation, state media reported Friday.
The ruby, measuring 11,000 carats (2.2 kilograms, or 4.8 pounds), was unearthed near the town of Mogok, in the upper Mandalay region, the heartland of the lucrative gem-mining industry that has recently experienced intense fighting in the country’s wide-ranging civil war.
According to a report from the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, the newly found rough ruby was discovered in mid-April, just after the traditional New Year festival.
While it weighs roughly half the weight of a 21,450-carat (4.29 kilograms, or 9.45 pounds) stone found in 1996, the new discovery is considered more valuable due to its superior color and quality. It is described as having a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, a high-quality color grade, moderate transparency and a highly reflective surface.
Myanmar produces as much as 90% of the world’s rubies, primarily from the areas of Mogok and Mong Hsu. Gemstones, both legitimately traded and smuggled, are a major source of revenue for Myanmar. Human rights activists and organizations such as the Britain-based research and lobbying group Global Witness have urged jewelers to stop purchasing gems sourced from Myanmar, as the industry has served as a vital revenue stream for its military governments over several decades.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
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Untreated rubies get expensive, even cloudy included rubies with good color. Same with emeralds where inclusions can be acceptable provided there’s good color.
how do rubies form?
https://search.brave.com/search?q=how+do+rubies+form%3F&summary=1
Rubies form deep within the Earth’s crust under extreme heat and pressure over millions of years, typically in metamorphic rocks like marble or gneiss, or through igneous processes where magma cools. The mineral corundum (aluminum oxide) is the base material; it becomes a ruby when trace amounts of chromium replace aluminum atoms in the crystal lattice, creating its signature red color.
The formation process involves several key geological stages:
Chemical Composition: Pure corundum is colorless; 1% chromium substitution is required to produce a deep red hue, while the presence of silica or iron can inhibit ruby formation.
Geological Environments: Rubies crystallize in primary deposits embedded in rock or secondary deposits found in riverbeds after erosion transports them.
Natural Inclusions: The rapid growth and geological stress often create internal features known as “silk” or rutile needles, which help distinguish natural rubies from lab-created ones.
Major ruby deposits are found along the Himalayan mountain range (including Myanmar and Thailand) and in Mozambique, formed by continental collisions and hydrothermal fluids rich in aluminum and chromium.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.
https://search.brave.com/search?q=synthetic+sapphire&summary=1
Synthetic sapphire is a laboratory-created gemstone made of corundum (aluminum oxide, Al₂O₃) that is chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural sapphire. Unlike imitation stones such as glass or cubic zirconia, synthetic sapphires are real gemstones with a Mohs hardness of 9, making them highly durable and scratch-resistant.
These stones are grown in controlled environments over weeks using methods like the Czochralski process or flux method, allowing for fewer inclusions and more consistent color than natural counterparts. They are significantly more affordable than natural sapphires and are often marketed as an ethical and sustainable alternative for jewelry and industrial applications like watch bearings and optical windows.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.
I wish they would include something in the picture to show size/scale. Perhaps a banana.
How's that?
That image is so AI
“Ruby Ruby” by Donald Fagen (”Nightfly” album - first solo album)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbVdRGev6r8
I’ve never been able to relate to that uniquely human condition where value is placed on “bling” whether its jewelry, tattoos, piercings, nose rings(eww), Teeth grillz(double eww). Vanity. I’m tired of being human and now I’d like to be a house-cat. Please? “I have lived with several Zen masters. All of them cats”. -Eckhart Tolle.
Looks like somebody found something in a strawberry field.
Cue the tune
Looks like my cancerous prostate that was just removed...
You educated me with your link. Thanks. 👍
The universal standard of measure.
😄
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