Rubies occur naturally all over the world. In some countries, rubies are heavily commercially mined, while in others, ruby mining is a pastime. Next to diamonds, rubies are the hardest mineral.

In Kenya, rubies are found alongside pink sapphires in the Baringo and Bogoria areas. The Corby ruby mine is one of the places where rubies are mined.

Some of the world’s greatest natural rubies came from the mines in Burma. Mining production declined in the 1990s due to overmining and political instability.

Along with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, aqua and beryl occur naturally in Madagascar. Gems are mined in various areas of the island, but rubies are mined primarily in the north.

In the United States, many areas, like North Carolina, offer naturally occurring ruby mining as a pastime for locals and tourists. Individuals purchase buckets of earth to sort through for gems.