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Home , Mogok, Pyin Oo Lwin

Excursions

GIT 2016 Pre-Conference Field Trip to , November 2016

Tasnara Sripoonjan, Saengthip Saengbuangamlam and Thanong Leelawatanasuk

The Gem and Jewelry Institute nis Alexandris (Germany), Arent production. Other attractions of (GIT) organized a and Helene Heilmann (Green- included visits to educational field trip to Mogok, Myanmar, to land), Mary Ng (Hong Kong), facilities, gem markets and sev- accompany the 5th GIT Interna- Meenu Brijesh Vyas (), Ken- eral historical pagoda sites. tional Gem and Jewelry Confer- taro Emori (Japan), Yoko Okubo ence, which was held 14–15 No- (Japan), William Wold (Nether- En Route to Mogok: The vember 2016 (see report on pp. lands), Sang Phil Oh (South Ko- group flew from Bangkok to 445–447 of this issue). This 9–13 rea), Young Soo Chung (South and then boarded November pre-conference excur- Korea), Yuanchan Chaiyawat a van. Our first stop was the sion was attended by 15 overseas (Thailand), Chen Shen (USA) Werawsana Jade Pagoda near participants from various fields and Cynthia Unninayar (USA). Township, about related to gems and jewellery (i.e. The group was led by Aung Na- 20 km from the airport. The gemmologist, mineralogist, jour- ing Thun, a representative of the pagoda is decorated with sev- nalist, gem retailer, gem whole- Myanmar Gem and Jewellery eral varieties of jadeite jade, saler, gem collector and retail Entrepreneurs Association, as including ‘ice’, green and lav- jeweller): Marcelo E. Souza (Bra- well as three GIT gemmologists ender types. We then visited a zil), Dr Geng Li (China), Ioan- (the authors). gemmological laboratory and The goal of the five-day trip school in Mandalay, where we was to examine gem deposits, stayed overnight before pro- Editor’s note: This report gives a de- active mining operations and ceeding to Mogok early the scription of the Mogok area just before stone trading in Mogok. Partici- next morning. it was closed to foreigners by Myan- pants had many opportunities Our route followed the Mand- mar’s government in December 2016. For two previous Excursions reports on to learn about the geology, min- alay–Myitkyina highway, passing Mogok, see The Journal, 34(1), 2014, ing and recovery techniques, through an immigration check- 55–67. as well as and point near in the

A panoramic view of ‘Ruby Land’ greets visitors to the Mogok valley. Photo by T. Sripoonjan.

436 The Journal of Gemmology, 35(5), 2017 Excursions

Shan Highland, some 67 km east cred gilded Buddhas. The Bud- in Shansu Quarter. Like Phaung of Mandalay. The trip to Mogok dhas are brought out for worship Daw Oo, this temple contains took around six hours on good and placed on gem-studded, white marble Buddhas, along pavement alternating with dirt gold-and-silver plinths for one with cabinets displaying innu- road, often quite winding. Upon day each year. The plinths are merable donated our arrival, we checked into the decorated with various gem- by local people. The gems and King Bridge Hotel and then vis- stones, including ruby, sap- jewellery on display there are ited a viewpoint on the main phire, jadeite and others. The a sign of the cultural affluence road to the east of the gem min- stones were mainly donated by and respect for the Buddha by ing region. It provided a pano- gem dealers and local people, the Burmese people. ramic vista of the Mogok Valley notably a former governor, and The Daw Nan Kyi temple with numerous villages flanked kept as one of the secret treas- is located in a spectacular set- by forested mountains. ures of Mogok. Our group was ting at around 1,520 m (5,000 fortunate to see these plinths, ft) elevation, above the west- Mogok Monasteries: We vis- which are rarely displayed for ern side of Mogok. From there, ited three pagodas in the Mogok visitors. we could see the town of Kyat area. At the Phaung Daw Oo Chan Thar Gyi is another fa- Pyin and surrounding hillsides temple, a white marble Buddha mous temple in Mogok. It is sit- comprising the Mogok Stone is flanked on both sides by sa- uated on the hill of Minn Phaya Tract.

EN ROUTE TO MOGOK (A) The beautiful Werawsana Jade Pagoda near Amarapura is decorated with jadeite of various colours. (B) Thousands of tons of jadeite slabs are cemented to the surface of the pagoda. (C) U Tommy Thein (left) introduces his gemmological school in Mandalay. Photos by T. Sripoonjan (A–B) and S. Saengbuangamlam (C).

A B

C

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A B

C

MONASTERIES IN MOGOK (A) The former governor of Mogok and his son showed us treasures of the Phaung Daw Oo temple. (B) Chan Thar Gyi temple contains a collection of valuable gemstones and antique jewellery. (C) The Daw Nan Kyi Monastery affords an excellent view of the Mogok Stone Tract. Photos by T. Sripoonjan.

Bernardmyo Depos- and sanatorium established after marble, often with weathered its: Fine peridot is mined from the Third Anglo-Burmese War. A gneiss, and is locally intruded the Pyaunggaung area near Ber- cemetery there dates back more by syenite or pegmatite veins. nardmyo, located in the north- than 120 years, based on the The mine is operated with heavy west part of Mogok. The deposits years 1888–1898 that were in- machinery, and excavators ini- in this area are well-known for scribed on headstones of British tially remove up to 20 m of over- producing peridot from veinlets soldiers. burden to reach secondary de- and pockets within a fine-grained posits containing the . peridotite rock. Although many Baw Mar Sapphire Mine: Lo- The miners use water cannons of the mines are run by the gov- cated northwest of Kyat Pyin to wash the gravels from the pit, ernment, we visited a private Township, about 18 km west of and the material is then routed operation owned by Purify Co. Mogok, is a well-known blue to a washing plant. The authors climbed down a sapphire mine called Baw Mar. We had an opportunity to shaft on traditional wooden We accessed the site in four- discuss the mine operation with ladders, where we saw active wheel-drive pickup trucks pro- the owners at their home. Our drilling using pneumatic ham- vided by the mine owners. The hosts gave us a warm welcome mers. There also was a small shaft geology of the area is complex, and took our group to view the used to transport equipment consisting mainly of regionally gem-sorting process. The mine and mined material. Near this metamorphosed rocks, especial- recently has produced blue peridot mine is a military station ly calc-silicates and graphitic sapphire in relatively large siz-

438 The Journal of Gemmology, 35(5), 2017 A B

C D E

PYAUNGGAUNG PERIDOT MINING AREA (A) The entrance of the Purify Company’s peridot mine is located in the mountains of the Bernardmyo area. (B–C) The Purify mine is accessed by a traditional wooden ladder, and a rope is attached to a winch for transporting mining equipment. (D) This view shows the typical underground workings in the Purify peridot mine. (E) Graves of British soldiers from the late 19th century are located near the peridot mines. Photos by T. Sripoonjan.

BAW MAR MINE (A) The large open pit at Baw Mar is mined for blue sapphire. (B) Miners use water cannons to mobilize gravels in the pit. (C) Sorting of rough blue sapphires is done on-site. (D) U Ye Min Tun (left), one of the owners of the Baw Mar mine, displays some rough and faceted blue sapphires. Photos by T. Sripoonjan (A–B) and S. Saengbuangamlam (C–D).

A

B C D

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es (up to 3+ cm in diameter) in passes into jaw crushers, and the 2012, yielding approximately low-to-moderate qualities. Fine fragments are washed into jigs us- 450,000 carats. By comparison, gem-quality sapphire is occa- ing water jets. The jigs are hand- in 2016 the mine produced sionally found, and additional picked for ruby, and other around 100,000 carats of ruby. At production consists of spinel of gems, and the rejected material the time we visited, mining took various colours. is further sorted by workers with place almost 400 m below the metal blades before it is trans- surface in a complex network Yadana Shin Ruby Mine: ported to the tailings pile outside of tunnels following the ruby- One of the most famous ruby the mine, where local people are bearing marble layers. How- mines of Mogok, Yadana Shin, allowed to go through it. Most of ever, most of the ruby-rich lay- is located approximately 4 km the mine’s ruby production is not ers were found at around 90 m north-west of the town of Mogok. of high quality, but only a few depth. The mine manager used Yadana Shin is a relatively mod- good stones are needed to make a scale model of the workings to ern operation that is exploited the operation viable. explain the sophisticated opera- underground as well as in open tion. The manager also took us pits. Miners access the under- Ruby Dragon Mine: This mine to visit the mine entrance, but ground workings using a series is located near Yadana Shin in unfortunately visitors were pro- of ladders. Ruby mineralization the Bawpadan area. Operated hibited from entering. The gem is hosted by fine-grained marble by Ruby Dragon Jade and Gems material (faceted pieces averag- with some brown mica. The ruby- in a joint venture with the My- ing 2–3 ct; exceptionally up to 10 bearing marble pieces are placed anmar government, this is one ct) is sorted on-site into various in secure bags and transported of the largest ruby mines in the qualities, and the least transpar- to the surface using a cable pul- Mogok area. The best overall ent stones are reportedly heated ley system. All the material then ruby production occurred in to improve their clarity.

YADANA SHIN MINE (A) Yadana Shin is one of the most well-known ruby mines in Mogok. (B) The mine workings are accessed by shafts, (C) which contain wooden ladders and timbering. (D) The mined material is passed through jaw crushers and then into jigs. (E) Workers sort the crushed rock by hand to recover the . Photos by S. Saengbuangamlam (A, C) and T. Sripoonjan (B, D–E).

A B

C D E

440 The Journal of Gemmology, 35(5), 2017 A

B C

D

E

RUBY DRAGON MINE (A) The Ruby Dragon mine is surrounded by steep, forested slopes. (B) An elevator is used to access this Ruby Dragon shaft. (C) The mine manager shows a scale model of the underground workings. (D) The air in the shaft is hazy from the mining activities below. (E) Ore carts are used to bring the mined material to the surface. Photos by T. Sripoonjan (A–D) and S. Saengbuangamlam (E).

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A B

C D

MOGOK GEM MARKETS E F (A) Many kinds of rough samples, faceted stones and some jewellery are offered at the Cinema Lane mark- et. (B) This old cinema gives the gem market its name. (C) Gem traders en- thusiastically offer their stones to pro- spective buyers. (D) A strong torch is an indispensable tool for gem trading. (E–F) Faceted rubies and were available during our visit to Mogok. (G) The gem-trading atmosphere is busy at the so-called blue umbrella market. Photos by T. Sripoonjan.

G

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Excursions

Our international group of participants gathered together at the Mogok Valley viewpoint. Photo courtesy of T. Sripoonjan.

Gem Markets in Mogok: There ple of Indian, Chinese and other Conclusions: The gem town of are two notable gem markets in ethnic backgrounds, along with Mogok has retained its charm as the town of Mogok, as well as some Thais. The buyers sit at ta- one of the most desirable plac- several smaller markets scattered bles under numerous blue um- es for gem enthusiasts to visit. throughout the Mogok area. At brellas and are offered gems by There are several active mining these open-air markets, mostly local dealers or brokers. We saw operations in the area, mainly for low- to medium-quality rough energetic dealers buying and ruby and sapphire, and mecha- and cut rubies, sapphires and selling gemstones enthusiastical- nized techniques are commonly other gems are traded among ly. Interestingly, we encountered used. However, the production the locals. The Yoke Shin Yone some of the same dealers that of fine-quality ruby and sapphire gem market (also known as the we saw at the morning gem mar- is scarce. We hope that Mogok ‘crystal market’, or Cinema Lane ket, offering us the same stones. will once again be open to visits since it is located within sight of The sellers especially focused on by foreigners in the future. the old cinema) operates daily foreigners once anyone showed in the morning. It occupies both interest in buying, and negotiat- sides of the street for about 100 ing the prices was a long, pains- Acknowledgements m. Some of the minerals and taking process. We saw various The authors thank GIT’s direc- rough gem parcels there were qualities of ruby, sapphire, spinel tor, Dr Pornsawat Wathanakul, reasonably priced. Also present and peridot, particularly as rough for her advice. Thanks also to were ornamental rocks and less- stones. Nevertheless, the prices academic advisors Dr Visut Pisu- common specimens, including seemed relatively high. We were tha-Arnond and Wilawan Atichat shells and fossils. A small amount not offered any obvious synthet- for their valuable comments and of imitations and synthetics was ics or imitations in this market. kind review of this article. noted at this market. We then visited the Panchan (or ‘blue umbrella’) gem mar- Tasnara Sripoonjan and Saengthip Saengbuangamlam are ket, the largest in Mogok, which gemmologists, and Thanong Leelawatanasuk is chief of the opens from 1:00 pm to around Gems Testing Department, at GIT in Bangkok, Thailand. 4:00 pm. In addition to Burmese Email: [email protected] traders, it is frequented by peo-

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