A landslide in a jade mine in northern Myanmar caused enormous havoc. At least 113 miners were already killed, they were swept away by a mud wave. 150 others are still missing.
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The mud wave was the result of heavy rainfall in recent days. The search and rescue operations have also been halted for the time being due to the heavy rain.
The accident happened in a jade mine in Hpakant in the state of Kachin. Jade is known as a protective and lucky green gem.
Fatal accidents are more common in the northern state of Kachin in Myanmar. Mining companies want to meet the high Chinese demand for jade and try to win the gem as soon as possible. They do not consider safety and the consequences for the environment.
Photo: ap
The government has already promised in the past to better regulate mining, but there is not much to see in the field. Kachin is home to the largest supply of jade in the world, but the yields do not reach the population. The value of the gemstone’s production in 2014 was estimated at $ 31 billion, or nearly half of Myanmar’s GDP that year. Most of the jade is smuggled to China, where the gem is in high demand.
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