(IDEX Online) - The Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy, in association with the Colombian Geological Service and the National University, has budgeted US$30 million for a five-year 'Mineral Digital Fingerprint' project that started earlier this year.
The project is based on a technique developed in Australia and applied in South Africa as a control mechanism for the commercialization of gold and precious stones.
"The goal of the Fingerprint (La Huella) project is to provide an understanding of the particular conditions and physical-chemical characteristics that were present at the time of the geological formation of a mineral, which then gives a specific geo-chemical DNA," according to a statement. "This Fingerprint can also be traced at the different stages of exploitation, refinement and commercialization of the minerals."
The 'Mineral Fingerprints' will be identified in the deposits where the minerals are formed, as well as in the transformation processes such as smelting, refining, cutting, and polishing. In the case of transformed minerals, this technique can be used to determine whether they came from a deposit or if they were recycled. The infrastructure of the project will include accreditation by a certified laboratory, the construction of a databank of Mineral Fingerprints, and the generation of a certificate validating the origin of the minerals.
"Thanks to Mineral Fingerprints, it will be possible to strengthen the audit process for control in the mining production chain, increase technological capacity in the generation of tools for the identification of the lawful and indisputable origin of minerals, and expand the knowledge and geological cartography of the subsoil," explained Dr. Arce Zapata, outgoing Minister of Mines. "It will take Colombian mining to another level."
The Second World Emerald Symposium, running from October 12 to 14, will present a wide range of topics, from gemology to mining, responsible sourcing to ethical standards in the supply chain, new technologies applicable to the supply chain to artisanal small-scale mining and formalization, and from harmonization of descriptions to proof of origin, and from marketing/branding to jewelry design.
Also confirmed for panel discussions are representatives from the world's main laboratories and major mining companies, as well as from the eight emerald-producing countries: Colombia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Zambia, Brazil and Madagascar.
Trips are also being arranged for those interested in visiting the major emerald mines in Colombia (Muzo, Cunas, and Coscuez) with an additional trip to Chivor. More information is available at www.emeraldsymposium.com.