Ruby
It’s very probable that humans discovered rubies about 3000 bc. The famous Mogok mining area of Burma (now the Union of Myanmar) has been so heavily mined for so many thousands of years that evidence is rare. Yet the caves were once so rich that it’s unlikely that the early cavedwelling, tool-wielding humans who lived there weren’t aware of the dazzling red corundum crystals around them. There are documented...
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Emerald
Emerald, famous for its distinctive green color, is a variety of the beryl mineral species. Other beryl varieties include aquamarine and morganite. The first known emeralds emerged from the mines of ancient Egypt. Estimates of the earliest emerald mining range widely, from about 3500 to 330 BC. The exact date is not as important as this: The obstacles to mining emeralds were overwhelming. And the quality of the stones...
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