Maw sit sit is rare and isn’t easy to find, primarily because it is currently found only in that single location of Burma (Myanmar). Because it is so rare, it is a popular gem among collectors but is not available through most jewelers. I stumbled across a dealer in Tucson that had some slabs of this gemstone, so I brought some home. There really was not a lot of Maw Sit Sit around. Historically, Burma (Myanmar) has been prone to embargo situations off and on for various political reasons over the years. This makes exported Gemstones from this area scarce.
Maw-sit-sit is considered to be a rock rather than a mineral, since it is composed of a number of different minerals, including kosmochlor (a mineral related to jadeite) and varying amounts of jadeite and albite Feldspar. It is often classified as a member of the jade family but it is not really a variety of jadeite. Sometimes maw-sit-sit is called a “cousin” of jade, which seems appropriate.
The only location where Maw Sit Sit is found in the world are the towns of Hpakan and Tawmaw. These towns are in the main jade mining regions in North-Western Myanmar.
The photo is of a Mother’s Day gift Bonnie now owns. I expect to make a couple more pieces in the near future.