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World’s biggest emerald shines in Colombia

A 15,000-carats raw emerald which weights five pounds, is shown at the 'Minergemas 2011', an international mining and precious stones and metals in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, June 17, 2011. The emerald was found 12 years ago in Muzo, 75 kilometers north of Bogota, and is shown for the first time in Colombia, one of the world's largest emerald producers. (AP-Yonhap News)
A 15,000-carats raw emerald which weights five pounds, is shown at the 'Minergemas 2011', an international mining and precious stones and metals in Bogota, Colombia, Friday, June 17, 2011. The emerald was found 12 years ago in Muzo, 75 kilometers north of Bogota, and is shown for the first time in Colombia, one of the world's largest emerald producers. (AP-Yonhap News)

A massive uncut emerald on exhibit in Colombia’s capital is being touted by its owners as the biggest in the world, officials said Saturday.

The 11,000-karat raw green gem weighs in at 2.27 kg and is on show in Bogota 12 years after it was mined in Muzo, in the South American nation’s emerald country in Boyaca province.

“It is priceless,” Santiago Soto, spokesman for the Minergemas 2011 gem industry trade fair under way in Bogota, said of the stone owned by the firm Coexminas.

No more than 15 people at a time are allowed to view the stone, with five guards looking on.

Colombia produces 55 percent of the world’s emeralds, exporting them for about $200 million a year.

By Jung Eun-jung
(kristin2j@gmail.com)
Intern reporter

<한글 요약>

세계 최대 에메랄드 원석 무려 11,000 캐럿!

콜롬비아의 수도 보고타에서 세계 최대 크기의 에메랄드가 전시되고 있다. 

11,000 캐럿의 에메랄드 원석은 2.27 킬로그램에 달하며 12년 전 남아메리카 무조 시의 보야카 지방에서 처음 채굴되었다. 

2011 Minergemas 보석 산업 무역 박람회 대변인 Santiago Soto씨는 Coexminas 기업이 소유하고 있는 이 보석은 값어치를 매길 수 있을 만큼 진귀한 것이라 말했다.

이 에메랄드 원석은 한번에 최대 15명 까지만 구경이 가능하며 5명의 보안요원이 지키고 있다.

현재 콜롬비아는 전 세계 에메랄드의 55 퍼센트를 생산하며 매년 2억 달러어치를 수출한다.
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