The US$15 million facility automates the sorting process, using UV light to separate washed rubies. The gems naturally fluoresce under UV light, allowing optical sensors to detect them and direct them into separate channels for grading.
According to Gemfields, the process is faster and more efficient than the human eye and allows the identification of finer material. It brings ruby sorting on par with diamond sorting facilities.
In a press release, Kaung San, ruby grading supervisor at Gemfields, said, “Previously the sorting of rubies was largely manual, but it is very exciting to now introduce automated sorting… Our productive capacity will increase exponentially.”
Gemfields claims that, as the automated sorting requires a greater throughput of raw material, its current mining area will expand, and its workforce will increase.
Categorisation and grading will remain the purview of highly skilled employees, with Montepuez training the first group of Mozambican gemmologists specialised in the selection and classification of rubies.
Sean Gilbertson, CEO of Gemfields, stated, “We are proud of our pioneering approach and leadership position within the sector and continually work to improve the provision of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones.”
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