December 13, 2021, 07:41 PM
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On Dec. 12, Sri Lankan authorities unveiled what they claimed to be the world's largest natural corundum blue sapphire.
Corundum is a rock-forming mineral that has two primary gem varieties — ruby and sapphire.
The sapphire found in Sri Lanka weighs 310kg and is 1.55 million carats, and has been named the "Queen of Asia", according to Lanka Express.
One of the rarest
The rare gem was unearthed around three months ago in a gem pit in Ratnapura city.
Ratnapura has been described as the "gem capital" of Sri Lanka by Reuters, and is the leading exporter of sapphires and other precious gems.
The sapphire's massive weight makes it one of the rarest in the world, local gemologists say.
However, international organisations have yet to certify it.
The sapphire was later put on display at the home of a person who owns the gem pit it was found in.
Sri Lanka shows off a giant natural blue sapphire. Local gemologists said it was one of the rarest gems in the world https://t.co/DDja7KAxmQ pic.twitter.com/aQECdbsWc0
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 12, 2021
A local gem expert shared that there are plans to sell the sapphire at the highest amount in the international market, reported Samaj Weekly.
In July 2021, the world's largest star sapphire cluster weighing 510kg, or 2.5 million carats, was discovered by a workman digging a well in Ratnapura as well, according to BBC.
The stone has an estimated value of up to US$100 million (S$136.7 million) in the international market.
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Top photo from DailyFT / YouTube and Newsfirst Sri Lanka / YouTube
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