The Curse of the Bahia Emerald, a Giant Green Rock That Ruins Lives (2017)

For those wondering about why Brazil claims to own the Emerald: in Brazil all minerals are literally property or government, to open a mine you need to lease the land and jump through lots of hoops and red tape. If you just go, dig something up and try to sell, even if it was literally in your backyard, Brazilian government considers it theft of its property.

EDIT: went looking for news on this... found out in 2017 they found another one in the same region, this time they did it legally (asked the govenrment to come and do all paperwork), and seemly the "second" Bahia Emerald has a legal owner.

Also it is conveniently shaped like a obelisk or something, the owner said he plans in renting it to museums around the world...

https://s04.video.glbimg.com/x720/5886155.jpg

I was really hoping for some more legitimate "cursed rocks" in history. Generally cursed gems and such are considered cursed for a reason:

Arsenopyrite, if heated, releases arsenic. it was popular to coat spears in the dust in the past.

Chalcanthite will kill you if its introduced into a water supply.

Torbernite and Cinnabar are also lethal if heated thanks to Radon and Mercury.

its also worth noting that powdering or ingesting these rocks, as was pretty common up to the victorian era, will absolutely send you to the grave in agony.

A rock that ruins lives? Haha, the title got it the wrong way around: Personalities liable to ruin their lives are attracted by it.

This was the link that got me back into reading long form journalism regularly again, it’s more movie than article.

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know the artist of the article? Loved the graphics.