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FIELD RESEARCH · ARTISANAL MINING · SUSTAINABILITY

Seven-Day Gemstone Sustainability Field Expedition

Explore Sri Lanka’s gemstone industry through an immersive seven-day educational expedition combining field visits, expert-led seminars and hands-on learning.

Ratnapura · Meetiyagoda · Beruwala · Colombo

Seven-Day Gemstone Sustainability Field Expedition
Duration
7 days
Format
Field expedition
Cost
To be announced
Location
Ratnapura · Meetiyagoda · Beruwala · Colombo

Programme overview

Explore Sri Lanka's gemstone industry through an immersive seven-day educational expedition combining field visits, expert-led seminars and hands-on learning. Travel across the country's key gemstone mining and trading regions to understand the realities of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), traditional extraction methods, gemstone processing and global supply chains.

Through interactions with miners, researchers and industry professionals, participants examine environmental sustainability, working conditions, community livelihoods, responsible sourcing and gemstone traceability.

What you’ll learn

  • Understand traditional gemstone mining techniques and the role of ASM in Sri Lanka.
  • Examine environmental and social challenges associated with gemstone extraction.
  • Explore gemstone identification, processing, cutting and polishing.
  • Understand gemstone traceability, origin documentation and responsible sourcing.
  • Investigate sustainability challenges across the gemstone value chain.
  • Connect scientific research with practical observations in mining communities.

Programme outline

  1. 01

    Introduction to Sri Lanka's gemstone industry

    Industry overview, geological context and sustainability foundations

  2. 02

    Artisanal gemstone mining in Ratnapura

    Mine visits, traditional techniques and working conditions

  3. 03

    Mining communities and environmental sustainability

    Community livelihoods, environmental impacts and responsible mining practices

  4. 04

    Moonstone mining in Meetiyagoda

    Field observations and gemstone extraction methods

  5. 05

    Gemstone trading in Beruwala

    Markets, supply chains, traceability and responsible sourcing

  6. 06

    Gemstone processing and research in Colombo

    Cutting, polishing, laboratory methods and industry engagement

  7. 07

    Research reflection and sustainability workshop

    Group discussions, applied learning and concluding seminar

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