GIA Awards $50K Grant to Mercury-Free Mining, ARM
The money will be used to evaluate ore-testing processes at an artisanal gold mining site in Peru.
Announced via news release last week, GIA’s grant will go toward evaluating ore-testing processes at an artisanal gold mining site in Ananea, Peru that could significantly reduce, or even eliminate, the inadvertent release of toxic mercury by artisanal gold miners worldwide.
The Ananea project is part of ARM’s Sustainable Mines Program, built on the CRAFT Code and the Fairmined standard, giving miners the ability to access formal markets as well as the opportunity to improve their mining practices.
GIA’s grant will support the export and testing of gold ore samples from Ananea, located in the Puno Region, high in the Andes Mountains. The money will also go toward improved livelihoods for the miners by helping to create transparent supply chains of certified, traceable, mercury-free gold.
The Ananea samples will be sent to innovative processors in the United States, Colombia, and Peru for scientific analysis and testing to determine each processor’s efficiency compared with the miners’ traditional use of mercury.
Based upon the findings, the miners can choose to implement a pilot program using one or more of the processors. They then will determine for themselves the effectiveness, suitability, and potential financial and health benefits to their communities.
In addition, a project report will be submitted to GIA and used for an article in a future issue of Gems & Gemology.
In the release, the organizations called GIA’s grant a “significant move by the U.S. jewelry industry to proactively address the problem of mercury pollution that is widely associated with subsistence gold mining.”
MFM Executive Director Toby Pomeroy said: “We’re delighted that this GIA grant supports the discovery and implementation of efficient gold ore concentration methods that may help free millions of subsistence gold miners from their dependence on the marginal increases in efficiency that mercury provides.
“It’s exciting to be working for the well-being of miners and the Earth in partnership with these impactful organizations.”
The Latest

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.

Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.

The 11-piece “Medallions” capsule collection features five motifs: a crying eye, a heart on fire, a spiral, a flower, and a swallow.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.


The partners have announced the second cycle of the program, which has expanded to include a $25,000 student scholarship.

The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.

NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

Two pieces were named “Best in Show,” one from the retail category and one from the supplier category.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.

José Gaztelu has been promoted to the role, which has been vacant since last year.

It has also opened the application period for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship through June 30.

The owner of the Ekati mine, which opened in 1998, has filed for insolvency protection amid the significant decline in diamond prices.

The company announced the change alongside its Q1 results, which showed that the jewelry brand’s year is off to a shaky start.

The retailer will cut 16 percent of its corporate workforce as part of its plan to exit bankruptcy.

Of the many examples used in the filming of “Le Mans,” this one is believed to have spent the most time on Steve McQueen’s wrist.

Megan Piccione dressed Lauren Wasser in layers of diamond jewelry, making her stand out in a crowd that included celebrities like Beyoncé.

Following decades of association leadership, the “semi-retired” colored gemstone expert is turning his focus to gemstone education.

The museum’s new exhibition will feature one of Jesse Owen’s Olympic medals, Yogi Berra’s crown, Super Bowl rings, and more.























