Since Xiaotian Mining’s stones burst onto the international scene, top stone companies worldwide turned their sights to this corner of Southeast Asia, flocking to Cambodia to see for themselves. In just one year, Xiaotian Mining’s Battambang quarry hosted a flood of international visitors. Big names from Italy, China, India and other countries stepped on this unknown land just to see these stunning stones for themselves. I was lucky enough to tag along on one such trip. Late in 2024, I joined Xiaotian Mining’s team and ICE, the general manager of China’s well-known Xiamen Ice Stone Import and Export Co. Ltd. ICE told me that she’d just flown back from Australia and raced straight to Cambodia without a break.

The race for Cambodia’s luxury stones quickly led to big deals. In Europe, Italy’s Stoneval locked in exclusive agency rights with Xiaotian Mining. In Asia, China’s Lewin Stone Company also won exclusive distribution rights for “Four Seasons Pink” and other series of products in the Chinese market. Meanwhile, the Italian stone-industry leader, Antolini Luigi & C., teamed up with Xiaotian Mining, using their global high-end network to push these Cambodian treasures worldwide. In no time, Xiaotian Mining’s rare finds have woven a sales network across the planet, earning it “legend” status in the trade. With international clients pouring in, Xiaotian Mining spares no effort in reception. Xiao Guangfeng said that “he would personally go to the airport to meet every customer arriving in Cambodia.

For example, Francesco from Antolini is full of praise with the colorful Fantastic Violet. He carefully observed each type of stone in the quarry and assessed their market potential. He called it “nearly impossible to find anything like this purple with pink and green veins anywhere else.” Another Italian, Luca from Stoneval, fell hard for Four Seasons Pink. As Xiao Guangfeng recalls, Luca – who’s toured more than 200 quarries globally – was floored by its pink-green mix. When he first saw Four Seasons Pink, he repeatedly praised the combination of pink and green as “perfect, very bright and full of design,” a unique stone he had never seen elsewhere. Other international counterparts are also singing Xiaotian Mining’s praises. ICE, a veteran in China’s stone scene, said the mine healed her. She was shocked by the neatly arranged stone materials of various colors, standardized site management, and the ability of Cambodian mining enterprises to carry out equal cooperation with top Italian companies. She’s convinced these unique materials “will set trends in the stone world and the first choice of designers.”

For Cambodia, the rise of Xiaotian Mining’s marks an important step in bringing the country's industry into the global high-end market. For a long time, the global luxury stone market has long been ruled by Italy, Brazil, and Turkey, making it difficult for newcomers like Cambodia to enter the mainstream vision. But Xiaotian Mining’s rare resources and smart global moves have let it "pass on the curve,” building a brand and snagging top clients fast.