Luc Yen, Vietnam: ruby and spinel marble country with its morning gem market

Where: Southeast Asia · Asia · approx. 22.1, 104.76 (vicinity only)

Why this spot: Rockhounding locality: Luc Yen's marble hills in Yen Bai have produced ruby, spinel and tourmaline since the late-1980s Vietnamese gem rush, including the famous cobalt-blue and glowing pink spinels

What turns up: rough ruby, pink and blue spinel, tourmaline at the morning market, gemstone paintings, guided quarry viewpoints

Access: Open / legal.

The visitor lane is the small morning gem market in Yen The town and gemstone-painting workshops; mining is by Vietnamese license, join pit visits only through local hosts

Satellite view, historic-map overlays, tide/flow context and field notes are in the app. Exact research detail is part of Pro.