A Massive Jade Stone Worth Up To $170 Million Uncovered In Burma

Miners discovered a giant jade stone in Kachin State in the north of Burma also known as Myanmar. It is about 4.3 meters high and 5.8 meters long. It weighs about 175 tons (192 US tons) and worth about $170 million.

"The jade is as big as two small houses that are 9 ft. square. I assume that it is a present for the fate of our citizens, the government, and out party as it was discovered in the time of our government. It's a very good sign for us," said U Tint Soe, a local politician.

@eggshaped Giant jade stone worth £140 million found in Burma @Qipodcast https://t.co/3c1zA0GrFG

— ange1ina (@ange1ina) October 17, 2016

The Daily Mail reports that the jade stone will be sent to China where it will be carved into fine and expensive jewelry and sculptures. China is considered the leading producer of the cutting and distributing of jade stone for centuries. Frank Xiao, a Chinese jade expert and a dealer in Shenzhen, southern China described the discovery as a beautiful find. He further said that there are many negotiations but it's likely to be coming to China. He added that it will make many beautiful bracelets and necklaces in the future and plenty of statues for homes in China.

Burma is a great source and the world's largest producer of jade. About 70 percent of the world's high-quality jadeite comes from Myanmar. It makes up around half of their gross domestic product, according to IFL Science.

Jade is an ornamental rock and applied into to two different metamorphic rocks namely the nephrite and jadeite. These rocks were used from prehistoric periods for hardstone carving. The Nephrite is slightly softer but tougher than the Jadeite, which has the same hardness as quartz. Burma and Guatemala are the main sources of modern gem jadeite.