The huge boulder of jade is estimated at $170 million
It has taken some time to fully unearth it, but a chunk of jade valued at $170,000 has been discovered in Myanmar (formerly Burma). It was recently photographed in the pit where it was unearthed, alongside 14 miners who worked at chiseling away the outer rock that surrounds the jade. The final 175-ton piece, discovered in a remote mine in Kachin State, measures 18 feet wide and stands 9 feet tall.
This marks the second largest piece of jade yet to be discovere. The largest piece weighst 260 tons and has been made into a carved statue that lays on its side in the Jade Buddha Palace in China. It is said that Myanmar’s jade industry is a $31 billion source of income -and provides most of the world’s finest greenstone, for which China is the number one buyer.
China is the biggest market for Myranmar jade, which is typically carved and made into sculptures or jewelry.
