CIBJO releases Coloured Stone Report
With fewer than six weeks to go to the opening of the 2018 CIBJO Congress in Bogotá, Colombia, on October 15, 2018, the fourth of the CIBJO commissions' Special Reports has been released. Prepared by the CIBJO Coloured Stone Commission, headed by Charles Abouchar, the report looks at efforts being taken to promote responsible practices in the sector, while taking into consideration the very different conditions that exist in the coloured gemstone industry. "More than 80 percent of rough coloured gemstones that come into the pipeline is produced by tens of thousands of artisanal miners, at a great many small-scale mine sites around the world," wrote Mr. Abouchar. "But it is not only the logistical difficulties that make the coloured gemstone sector such a tough nut to crack. The potential of an overly cumbersome responsible sourcing system having unintended consequences is also a critical factor. Policies that could economically disadvantage artisanal