Cambodia | Pailin Ruby Fields

Cambodia's Pailin ruby fields alluvial sapphire pit-mines are located in Pailin Province, about 300 km east of Bangkok, Thailand. Pailin has been one of the world's main sources for ruby since the decline of supply from Burma's Mogok region.

Cambodia's Khmer Rouge controlled the Pailin ruby mines for three decades after the Viet Nam war, using its output to finance the regime. Severe over-mining has depleted the supply of Cambodian ruby from Pailin.