Myanmar’s Kachin State is believed to hold up to 90% of the world’s most valuable jade. Demand for it is growing in China, where the stone is considered sacred. But hunting for it is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and many end up addicted to drugs, which they say, replaces their wages. ''

We take the security of characters profiled in our documentaries very seriously. For context, Thant gave us permission to show him with just a mask on, but we took the extra precaution of blurring his face in shots where we felt like his identity could be exposed. He also gave us permission to use his common Burmese last name, but we chose to leave his full name out. We also worked very closely with our local freelancers on the ground to advise us on what we could and could not show and mention so that we wouldn't be endangering him.

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00:00 - Introduction
01:28 - Night Markets
02:09 - Illegal Mining In Kachin Hills
02:38 - The Drug Problem
03:50 - History Of The Kachin War
04:28 - Growth Of Drug Trade
05:00 - Jade's Significance In China
06:20 - Why Jade Mining Is So Deadly
07:10 - Gender Roles In Mining
08:31 - What Miners Have Lost
09:34 - Credits

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