Miners Unearth 11,000-Carat Ruby Near Myanmar's Mogok, Second-Largest in Nation

Miners in Myanmar have discovered a rare ruby of enormous size, considered the second-largest by weight ever found in the Southeast Asian nation, state media reported Friday.

The ruby, measuring 11,000 carats and 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 seen intense fighting in the country's civil war.

State-run Global New Light of Myanmar reported the rough ruby was found in mid-April, just after the traditional New Year festival.

The stone weighs roughly half as much as a 21,450-carat ruby discovered in 1996, but the new find is deemed more valuable for its superior color and quality. It has a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, a high-quality color grade, moderate transparency and a highly reflective surface.

Myanmar produces up to 90 percent of the world's rubies, mainly from Mogok and Mong Hsu. Legally traded and smuggled gemstones provide major revenue for the country. Human rights activists and groups like Britain-based Global Witness have called on jewelers to halt purchases of Myanmar gems, citing the industry's role as a revenue source for military governments over decades.

A new civilian government took office this year after elections that human rights and opposition groups called a sham. The vote brought back President Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who led the 2021 military takeover. He and his Cabinet recently examined the giant ruby at his office in Naypyitaw.

Gemstone mining also funds ethnic armed groups seeking autonomy, contributing to decades of internal conflict.

Security in mining areas stays volatile. The Ta'ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, a guerrilla force of the Palaung ethnic minority, captured Mogok in July 2024. The TNLA ran the mines before handing control back to Myanmar's army under a China-mediated ceasefire from late last year.