It is believed the gemstone was discovered at a mine located in the country’s north and operated by a company called Yadanar Taung Tan in conjunction with the Myanmar ministry of mining.
According to multiple media reports, the jade rough was sent to China to be carved into jewellery and sculptures.
It was reportedly unclear whether a gemstone of this scale – it measured 4.3 metres high and 5.8 metres long – had been found before.
Local politician U Tint Soe told The Independent that the gemstone was as big as two small houses. The news publication also stated it was one of the world’s most valuable pieces of jade.
Further analysis of the gemstone’s chemical composition would be undertaken to determine whether it was jadeite. Jade is the overarching name for two different mineral species: nephrite and jadeite, the latter primarily found in Myanmar.
It was estimated that almost half of Myammar’s gross domestic product (GDP) came from the jade industry.
the gemstone
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