The gem fields of Pailin in western Cambodia produce deep blue sapphire and ruby from basalt-derived gravels, and their story is hard: the mines funded the Khmer Rouge for years after the regime fell, and the ground was heavily mined with explosives. Demining and small-scale digging continue today. Buy Cambodian stones through reputable dealers, and understand the history behind them.
Sapphire, ruby
Cambodia
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