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Gem
conference explores new developments |
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At
GIA's inaugural Gemological Research Conference (GRC), held August 26-27
in San Diego, California, over 700 participants from 32 countries explored
the latest technical developments in gemological research. The event was
sponsored by Charles & Colvard and held in conjunction with the 4th
International Gemological Symposium.
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The
GRC kicked off with a field trip to the Pala pegmatite district.
The all-day tour gave 50 participants an informative, hands-on look
at three working gem mines in north San Diego County. A second field
trip to Pala took place just after the closing of the International
Gemological
Symposium.
In
the dual-track speaker sessions, leading researchers delivered 62
oral presentations that addressed the six general topics of the
conference, including Geology of Gem Deposits; New Gem Localities:
Among the highlights here was a discussion of gem deposits in Afghanistan,
and a talk on promising new localities in Madagascar; Gem Characterization
Techniques; Diamond and Corundum Treatments; Laboratory Growth of
Gem Materials; and General Gemology: Keynote lectures here included
an introduction of a new classification scheme for gem corundum
based on geologic source type. |
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During a GRC presentation, Dr. Jeff Harris, of the
University of Glasgow, spoke on diamond occurrence
& evoiution
in the earth's mantle. Photo © GIA 2006 |
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A
posters forum saw 62 exhibitors on hand to present their research findings
through multimedia displays and one-on-one discussions. Among the poster
presentation topics were the mining of pegmatite-related primary gem deposits,
ruby and sapphire from Greenland, and the geology of placer gem deposits.
The
conference's co-chairs, GIA research director James Shigley and G&G
editor Brendan Laurs, plan to make it a regular event. The next GRC is
now scheduled for August 2009. "The response to the GRC exceeded
all of our expectations,"said Mr. Laurs. "The dual speakertracks
gave conference participants an opportunity to choose the topics that
best matched their interests, while the poster session rounded out the
program with a wide variety of research applications in contemporary gemology." |
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Gem
conference explores new developments 