Giant Jade Stone Unearthed in Myanmar
/The state of Kachin produces some of the best jade in the world
A giant jade stone weighing 175 tonnes has been uncovered by miners in Myanmar. The stone is 4.3m (14ft) high and 5.8m (19ft) long, and is reportedly worth an estimated $170m. It was found in a mine in the jade-producing Kachin state, in the north of the country.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, is the source of nearly all of the world's finest jadeite. The jade industry is responsible for nearly half of the country's GDP.
One of the biggest markets for jade is in neighboring China, where it is known as the "stone of heaven".
