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Rubies are used in all types of jewelry, from crowns of kings and queens to class ring. Throughout history there are many instances where human hunger for resources brought nations to war. One such battle resulted in establishing the Burma Mining Company, which facilitated the transfer of Burmese gems to England (News World Communications, Inc. 1997, p. 1) The rubies from Burma have long been considered the world's finest by connoisseurs, although the production has declined since World War II. ( http:// www.galleries.com/minerals/gemstone/ruby/ruby.htm , 1998, p.1). Today, Thailand is a leading provider of rubies although the source can be from other countries. Corundum with a sufficient number
of intersecting needle-shaped inclusions of
rutile may exhibit a pattern of 6 or 12 rayed stars.
This is a phenomenon called asterism. One of the world's
largest corundums displaying asterism is the
Star of India, weighing in at a 563
carats. |
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