Sri Lanka's largest blue sapphire corundum attracts buyers from China, U.S.

COLOMBO, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The largest natural blue sapphire corundum ever found in Sri Lanka has attracted interest from potential buyers from China and the United States, the local media reported here Monday.

The corundum which is 310 kilograms in weight was unearthed recently from a piece of private land in Ratnapura, known as the "gem city" and located nearly 115 kilometers from capital Colombo.

Chamila Suranga, founder of the Gemmological Institute of Ratnapura, which owns the stone, quoted in the local media Economy Next said that buyers from China had started to express interest in the stone after it received wide international publicity.

Chamila said one of the inquiries came through a local gem exporter who had been dealing with China for over 30 years.

"I understand that a Chinese museum is interested in this stone, which we have named the Queen of Asia," Chamila said.

"We also got an inquiry from an American buyer who wanted to get it and gift it to a top U.S. natural history museum," he added.

Authorities have said the stone was blue and white in color and was named "Queen of Asia" by experts in the gem industry.

The owners of the sapphire, quoted by local media reports, said the stone was high in value.