Hi my dear gem enthusiasts, Hope y'all are keeping well in these difficult times.
I'm an FGA student from Srilanka. Eventhough I've gone through the FGA syllabus i feel that the knowledge provided to use Advanced gemmological instruments such as FTIR, Raman, UV-VIS, LIBS isn't enough for me to use them in practice. Where can I learn about the use and how to use these instruments, Is there any course that i can follow? If so please let me know the details such as duration, costs etc.
Post subject: Re: Learning to use Advanced equipment
Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2021 12:03 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 2:18 am Posts: 1542
For these types of machines, if you want advanced training with a research orientation you will most likely have to pursue a course of study at University.
If what you are looking for is a more business type use such as you would employ in a gem identification lab, then the machine manufacturer will normally provide training in the use of the equipment they sell.
Practically speaking, the actual use of these machines in order to obtain good readings is not that difficult. I think a few day course by the manufacturer sufficient. What will take more time is to deeply understand the implications of the readings, and the data they provide. This will be a constant area of learning and research by you. The good news is that databases of comparative samples, and papers on the implications of findings are freely available on line from some well known Universities.
More detailed advise will require a better statement from you on your intended use cases. Generally speaking using these tools for Gem ID is easily learned. Using them to resolve issues like origin, and treatments, is much more complicated. These require the use of extensive comparative databases. These databases are usually developed in house by the labs. In order to maintain integrity of the samples, direct collection of samples in the field to ensure a proper chain of possession are done by lab employees. They spent millions of dollars, and years of effort in building the databases. These are considered a proprietary asset of these labs, and so are not shared, but closely guarded as trade secrets.
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