Minerals and mineral products
Gemstones
How a Beloved Gemstone Became a Symbol of Environmental Tragedy in Myanmar
The jade gemstones that generate billions of dollars a year in Myanmar — the world’s biggest exporter of the stone — are beloved in China, where they can sell for more than gold. But they are a symbol of tragedy and suffering for the people who ...
EMILY FISHBEIN AND AUNG MYAT LAMUNG; Additional reporting by Jaw Tu Hkawng.
Tax exemptions on diamonds, emeralds and gold approved
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw agreed on Tuesday to stop levying special commodity tax on diamonds and emeralds, as well as commercial tax on gold nuggets. “As those items should be exempted from taxes, Hluttaw agreed to it.” Public Account Joint Committee Member and Kayin State, Hlaing Bwe ...
Over 4000 lots of jade sold via open tender
A total of 4454 lots of raw gems and uncut jade are up for bid at the Mani Yadana Jade Hall in Nay Pyi Taw this week. The raw gemstones and jades are being sold via an open tender system from March 19 until March ...
Pheapimex ties ‘cause for concern’
Alex Corporation, the firm behind a proposal for an ambitious Mondulkiri mining project, appears to be ultimately owned by ruling party Senator Lao Meng Khin and his wife, Choeung Sopheap, the Post has discovered, a scenario rights groups say should give cause for concern. The ...
Lifting US jade sanctions ‘a mistake’: Myanmar minister
The minister in charge of mining in Myanmar’s conflict-ridden state of Kachin says it was a mistake for the United States to lift sanctions on the country’s notorious jade industry. Kachin lies at the heart of the “jade tract”, a small area that has deposits ...
Gems traders in Mandalay to protest decline in jade market
Gems traders in Mandalay plan to hold a protest tomorrow, calling on the government to take action to bolster the region’s slumping jade market. According to U Than Win, one of the protest’s leaders, the market for jade in Mandalay has been in decline for ...
US gems association eyes trade ties as sanctions end
The American Gem Trade Association arrived in Myanmar for the first time this week to assess the gems sector and build trade relationships ahead of an anticipated end to the US sanctions regime, which would allow the legal import of Myanmar rubies and jade. The association’s ...
Mining companies must repair environmental damage: official Print
More than 1000 jade mining companies will be forced by law to clean up their sites in Hpakant and Lone Khin mining areas in Kachin State once their permits have expired, the government says. U Win Htein, director general of the Department of Mines, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, told The ...
New commission formed to investigate alleged gems association embezzlement
A new investigation commission will be formed to look into the Myanmar Gems Traders Association’s financial scandal, involving allegations of more than US$100 million that went missing from their bank account, according to the organization’s chairman. A previous review was conducted and finalized this week by ...
Two director generals fired after jade probe
A three-month investigation into dodgy dealings in the murky jade industry has netted dozens of government officials, with two director generals dismissed from their posts earlier this week. The President’s Office on 3 March confirmed that the director generals from two Union government ministries, as well as ...
