GEMSWORLD | 33 | 2019/20 珍寶之源 Situated strategically between China and India, Myanmar provides a gateway to other Southeast Asian nations. It is rich in natural resources such as jadeite, rubies, sapphires, pearls, amber and other coloured gemstones. The most important gem and jewellery capitals are Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Mogok and Pharkent. Policy improvement According to Dr. Aung Kyaw Win, vice- president of Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs’ Association (MGJEA), Myanmar started to import and export jewellery in September 2018. Pending government approval, the country is also set to export polished gems. At present, rough gems are restricted for export and foreigners are only allowed to source these materials through auctions. “Myanmar was under military government for more than 50 years. Since 2010, a quasi- civilian government started to recognise the importance of a strong value chain so beneficiation development became a focus,” noted Kyaw Win. In 2015, the newly elected government placed emphasis on a human resource-based economy and the development of the local gems and jewellery sector. MGJEA is working closely with a private sector committee to help change the international perception that Myanmar is producing just rough stones. The association is also trying to establish a world-class gemmological laboratory in 2019 and upgrade the existing Myanmar Gems Training School to a vocational and institute level, disclosed Kyaw Win. The people March 2018 marked the 800th founding anniversary of Mogok, also known as Ruby Land. A historic city in northern Myanmar, it is restricted to foreigners. It lies in a valley 50 miles west of the snaking Irrawaddy River, about 3,850 feet above sea level. Mogok is best known for its gemstones, including pigeon’s blood rubies, sapphires, spinels and other gems. Since the ancient times, Burmese rubies have been carried along the Silk Road, with Chinese documents from the Shan Dynasty recording mining activities in Burma (now Myanmar) as early as the 6th century. The first documented evidence of rubies from Mogok dates back to 1597. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC is the home of some of the world’s largest and finest rubies. One of these is the 23.10- carat Carmen Lúcia ruby, which displays a richly saturated hue combined with an exceptional transparency. The stone was mined in Mogok in the 1930s. Among the people I met was Jordan, who served as our guide and lead convoy driver. He was also the expedition leader’s first mate who kept us safe, well-equipped and well-fed. Many locals still place water pots in front of their houses so thirsty passers-by can stop and have a drink. Such are the qualities of a Mogok local. For those in the trade, Mogok has become a part of life. Expedition leader and chairman of the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences Kennedy Ho was born in Myanmar. In the book “Mogok, the Valley of Precious Stones,” where he served as executive editor, Ho described his connection with Mogok and its people. “From the early days, when my father set up a small gem trading business in Yangon, to the difficult period of exile experienced by my father – and by us, his children – the people of Mogok have entrusted the rarest and most beautiful gems to us. Their trust has been our salvation on many occasions so much so that Mogok itself is like a member of our family – and a particularly worthy one at that,” he wrote. Tailing with small ruby crystals in marble calcite. Villagers at the Baw Lone Gyi Ruby Processing Site need to crush the marble with a hammer to recover the small crystals. 方解石大理石尾矿中含有小颗红宝石晶体。红宝石尾矿加工场的村民需要用锤子砸碎 大理石来取出这些小晶体。照片由郑嵘提供
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