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The history of Burma’s jade mines in the West is a brief one. While hundreds of different reports, articles and even books exist on the famous ruby deposits of Mogok, only a handful of westerners have ever made the journey to northern Burma’s remote jade mines and wrote down their findings.Occidental accounts of the mines make their first appearance in 1837.... (1997) Complete Story
Although it is rubies for which Burma (Myanmar) is famous, some of the world's finest blue sapphires are also mined in the Mogok area. Today the world gem trade recognizes the quality of Burmese sapphires, but this was not always the case. Edwin Streeter (1892) described Burmese sapphires as being overly dark. Unfortunately this error was later repeated by Max Bauer and others. G Herbert Smith wrote...
(2004) Complete Story
Author Richard W. Hughes discusses Gem and drug smuggling in Burma, along with the CIA and British involvement in the Burmese drug trade. The Author follows the smugglers routes and politics involved from the 17th century opium trade until present days.... (2004) Complete Story
This article discusses the decline of Thailand’s ruby mining industry. The author warns that Thailand faces future problems is the country’s leaders do not pay greater attention to environmental protection.... (1997) Complete Story
One of the important reasons for the dominance of diamond in the gem market is the existence of a comprehensive and internationally-accepted system of quality analysis. This allows us common folk to buy with confidence, for with a diamond grading report we have an independent “expert” opinion of the stone’s quality. But how “expert” are them experts anyway. Is this opinion, itself, always infallible? Do the different quality steps really indicate genuine differences in quality?.... (1997) Complete Story
