Editing Myanmar (section)

=== Extractive industries ===
Myanmar produces precious stones such as [[rubies]], [[sapphire]]s, [[pearl]]s, and [[jade]]. [[Rubies]] are the biggest earner; 90% of the world's rubies come from the country, whose red stones are prized for their purity and hue. Thailand buys the majority of the country's gems. Myanmar's "Valley of Rubies", the mountainous [[Mogok Township|Mogok]] area, {{convert|200|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of [[Mandalay]], is noted for its rare pigeon's blood rubies and blue sapphires.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/gemecology/index.html|title=Gems of Burma and their Environmental Impact |publisher=Uvm.edu |access-date=20 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526104410/http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/gemecology/index.html |archive-date=26 May 2010}}</ref>

Many [[U.S.]] and [[European Union|European]] jewellery companies, including Bulgari, Tiffany and Cartier, refuse to import these stones based on reports of deplorable working conditions in the mines. [[Human Rights Watch]] has encouraged a complete ban on the purchase of Burmese gems based on these reports and because nearly all profits go to the ruling junta, as the majority of mining activity in the country is government-run.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2007/11/11/burma-gem-trade-bolsters-military-regime-fuels-atrocities |title=Burma: Gem Trade Bolsters Military Regime, Fuels Atrocities |publisher=Human Rights Watch |date=11 November 2007 |access-date=22 August 2017 |archive-date=3 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903143133/http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2007/11/11/burma-gem-trade-bolsters-military-regime-fuels-atrocities |url-status=live }}</ref> The government of Myanmar controls the gem trade by direct ownership or by joint ventures with private owners of mines.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ferro, Shane |date=19 July 2011 |url=http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/38144/burmese-gem-emporium-rakes-in-15-billion-despite-human-rights-abuse-concerns/ |title=Burmese Gem Emporium Rakes in $1.5 Billion Despite Human Rights Abuse Concerns |publisher=Blouin ARTINFO |access-date=15 May 2013 |archive-date=5 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205180522/http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/38144/burmese-gem-emporium-rakes-in-15-billion-despite-human-rights-abuse-concerns |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Rare-earth elements]] are also a significant export, as Myanmar supplies around 10% of the world's rare earths.<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2021 |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2021/mcs2021-rare-earths.pdf |website=usgs.gov |publisher=USGS |access-date=9 October 2021 |archive-date=27 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127021048/https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2021/mcs2021-rare-earths.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Conflict in Kachin State has threatened the operations of its mines as of February 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Subramanian |first1=Sribala |title=Rare Earths in Myanmar: Unobtanium? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2021/06/rare-earths-in-myanmar-unobtanium/ |website=The Diplomat |access-date=9 October 2021 |archive-date=9 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009133352/https://thediplomat.com/2021/06/rare-earths-in-myanmar-unobtanium/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Daly |first1=Tom |title=China rare earths extend surge on worries over Myanmar supply, inspection threat |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-rare-earths-myanmar-idUSKBN2BI1HR |website=Reuters |date=26 March 2021 |access-date=9 October 2021 |archive-date=9 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009133347/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-rare-earths-myanmar-idUSKBN2BI1HR |url-status=live }}</ref>

Other industries include agricultural goods, textiles, wood products, construction materials, gems, metals, oil and natural gas. [[Myanmar Engineering Society]] has identified at least 39 locations capable of geothermal power production and some of these hydrothermal reservoirs lie quite close to Yangon which is a significant underutilised resource for electrical production.<ref>{{citation |last=DuByne |first=David |title=Geothermal Energy in Myanmar Securing Electricity for Eastern Border Development |url=http://www.oilseedcrops.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Geothermal-Energy-in-Myanmar-Securing-Electricity-for-Eastern-Border-Development-David-DuByne.pdf |journal=Myanmar Business Today Magazine |date=November 2015 |pages=6–8 |access-date=20 November 2015 |archive-date=20 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120104918/http://www.oilseedcrops.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Geothermal-Energy-in-Myanmar-Securing-Electricity-for-Eastern-Border-Development-David-DuByne.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>