![scrapbook page with pictures of George Harlow and team near and in jade mines](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar/4218957-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar/4218957-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar_full_990.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar/4218957-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar_full_1468.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar/4218957-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar_full_1980.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar/4218957-4-eng-US/ii_hfj_miningmyanmar_full_2475.jpg 926w)
![gold pendant with rectangular jade stone in emerald green color](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_emeraldgreen/4200609-1-eng-US/myanmar_emeraldgreen_full_495.jpg 488w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_emeraldgreen/4200609-1-eng-US/myanmar_emeraldgreen_full_990.jpg 700w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_emeraldgreen/4200609-1-eng-US/myanmar_emeraldgreen_full_1468.jpg 700w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_emeraldgreen/4200609-1-eng-US/myanmar_emeraldgreen_full_1980.jpg 700w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_emeraldgreen/4200609-1-eng-US/myanmar_emeraldgreen_full_2475.jpg 700w)
emerald green
In some places where jade has been discovered, jade mining is big business. The world's biggest jade mines are in Myanmar in Southeast Asia. The country is also known as Burma. It is the source of the world's most precious jade. Look at this pendant. Its emerald green color makes it very valuable.
![vast open area at entrance to mine with many people working](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_atthemine/4200631-1-eng-US/myanmar_atthemine_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_atthemine/4200631-1-eng-US/myanmar_atthemine_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_atthemine/4200631-1-eng-US/myanmar_atthemine_full_1468.jpg 1240w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_atthemine/4200631-1-eng-US/myanmar_atthemine_full_1980.jpg 1240w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_atthemine/4200631-1-eng-US/myanmar_atthemine_full_2475.jpg 1240w)
at the mine
We traveled through thick jungles to get there. And all of a sudden, we came to a vast, open area. It was crawling with some 30,000 people! All those people in the middle of the jungle, JUST to find jade!
![elephant that helped with transportation](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_elephant/4200623-1-eng-US/myanmar_elephant_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_elephant/4200623-1-eng-US/myanmar_elephant_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_elephant/4200623-1-eng-US/myanmar_elephant_full_1468.jpg 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_elephant/4200623-1-eng-US/myanmar_elephant_full_1980.jpg 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_elephant/4200623-1-eng-US/myanmar_elephant_full_2475.jpg 1200w)
elephant
The jade mines are not easy to get to. It can take many days with many different kinds of transportation. Sometimes we rely on elephants to pull our truck through the deep mud.
![looking at jade streaks on walls inside the mine](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_insidethemine/4200627-1-eng-US/myanmar_insidethemine_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_insidethemine/4200627-1-eng-US/myanmar_insidethemine_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_insidethemine/4200627-1-eng-US/myanmar_insidethemine_full_1468.jpg 1100w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_insidethemine/4200627-1-eng-US/myanmar_insidethemine_full_1980.jpg 1100w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_insidethemine/4200627-1-eng-US/myanmar_insidethemine_full_2475.jpg 1100w)
inside the mine
This is what the mine looks like from the inside. Can you find the green jade?
![George Harlow holding a large chunk of jade](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_collectingjade/4200635-1-eng-US/myanmar_collectingjade_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_collectingjade/4200635-1-eng-US/myanmar_collectingjade_full_990.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_collectingjade/4200635-1-eng-US/myanmar_collectingjade_full_1468.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_collectingjade/4200635-1-eng-US/myanmar_collectingjade_full_1980.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/myanmar_collectingjade/4200635-1-eng-US/myanmar_collectingjade_full_2475.jpg 960w)
collecting jade
I really enjoy my trips to Myanmar and Guatemala. In the future, I want to see all the jade deposits in the world!
Image Credits:
All field photos: courtesy of George Harlow and colleagues; jade pendant: courtesy of AMNH, Denis Finnin