The Jade Land >>
Mogok
a town in Central Myanmar in Mandalay Division, is renowned
for producing the world's best grade of rubies and other
precious and semi-precious gems. It is popularly known to the
Myanmar people as the "Ruby Land"
Mogok lies on the northwest end of the Shan Plateau and its
elevation is approximately 3800 feet above the sea level.
Mogok can be reached easily from Mandalay by motorcar. The
road winds round mountains with many hairpin bends but it is in
good condition. The traveler will be rewarded by fantastic views
of forecasted mountains and the distant Ayeyarwaddy River and
the plains.
Mogok as a town came into being around AD 1207 during the
Bagan Era. Mogok has been famous for its precious rubies and
gems since the days of ancient Myanmar monarchs. It is
alternatively known as " Ruby Land " because it produces the
highest quality rubies in the world. The pigeon's blood rubies
are especially sought in Mogok.
Mogok also produces the highly valued star sapphires and a
whole variety of semi-precious gems like garments, spinel and
topaz and many others. The "Nga Mauk" Ruby is one and it was
part of the Myanmar crown jewels. The most recent finds of world
fame is the State Ruby weighing in at 496.5 and another stone,
the largest rare ruby found in 1996 that weighs 21450 carats.
And then there is also the largest star sapphire, weighing 63000
carats.
Alluvial limestone gravels are the source, and deposits are
exploited by means of tunneling, pit-digging or panning - all
performed by hand. Other precious and semi-precious stones found
in Mogok District include peridot, lapis lazuli, moonstone,
garnet and chrysoberyl.
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Phakant (The Land of Jade)
restricted_area Since ancient times Jade has been valued the
world over, and has been set in jewellery for adornment or
carved into figures for decoration. Myanmar is a country that
produces the highest quality jade. Jade is mined in Pharkant of
Kachin State in the north and in the Khamti region of Sagaing
Division. The two places are miles apart the jade comes from the
same vein.
The name Phakant is associated with a place where world
famous jadeites are mined. The Phakant village is situated on
the banks of Ura stream in Karmine Township, Kachin State. Most
of the residents in this area are Jinghpaw Kachin nationals but
other ethnic groups such as Shans, Bamars, and Shan-Chinese also
live here.
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