Cow gallstones—yes, gallstones—have become incredibly valuable, selling for $5,800 per ounce in 2025 due to soaring demand in China and Hong Kong, where they're used in traditional medicine to treat strokes. Their rarity drives the price: most cattle are slaughtered young, long before gallstones form.
That scarcity has sparked armed robberies and a black market in major cattle‑farming regions like Brazil. Scientists have created lab‑made alternatives, but natural stones are still preferred, keeping the market hot.
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