Mémoire (M.Sc.A.)--Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, 1986. / 4 cartes géographiques sur feuillets pliés, en pochette. CaQCU Bibliogr.: p. 58-61. Document électronique également accessible en format PDF. CaQCU

O beneficiamento de pedras preciosas representa um importante potencial empresarial e de negócios para o Brasil, em especial para regiões como a do Vale do Taquari, no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. No entanto, as empresas deste setor, em sua maioria pequenas, carecem de uma abordagem capaz de melhorar seus processos produtivos, diminuindo suas perdas. Este estudo buscou levantar dados do setor na região, diagnosticar questões relativas aos processos produtivos, em especial sobre perdas nos processos, e propor um modelo para análise dos processos e redução das perdas nestes. O modelo foi gerado considerando dados gerais e históricos do setor, as análises dos questionários aplicados e os mapeamentos realizados. Este modelo está dividido em duas etapas: a de análise e a do conjunto de ações para a redução das perdas. Assim, o modelo propõe uma série de técnicas e ferramentas, geralmente ligadas ao Sistema Toyota de Produção, as quais têm colaborado com diferentes setores. A implementação do modelo proposto deve possibilitar um aumento no potencial de desenvolvimento, tanto no setor de beneficiamento como em toda a cadeia produtiva das pedras preciosas. / The processing of precious stones represents an important potential business in Brazil, especially for regions such as the Taquari Valley, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. However, the companies in this sector, mostly small, lack an approach aimed at improving their production processes, reducing their losses. This study aimed at surveying data about the sector in that region, examining issues relating to production processes, in particular on losses in processes, as well as proposing a model for analysing these processes and reducing losses. The model was developed considering general and historical data in the precious stones sector, the analysis of the interviews and the mappings carried out. The model is divided into two steps: the first one is the analysis and the second one is the set of actions for reducing losses. Thus, the model proposes a series of techniques and tools, usually related to the Toyota Production System, which have cooperated with different sectors. The implementation of the proposed model shall enable an increase in the potential for development, both in the processing sector, as well as throughout the whole production chain of precious stones.

O beneficiamento de pedras preciosas representa um importante potencial empresarial e de negócios para o Brasil, em especial para regiões como a do Vale do Taquari, no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. No entanto, as empresas deste setor, em sua maioria pequenas, carecem de uma abordagem capaz de melhorar seus processos produtivos, diminuindo suas perdas. Este estudo buscou levantar dados do setor na região, diagnosticar questões relativas aos processos produtivos, em especial sobre perdas nos processos, e propor um modelo para análise dos processos e redução das perdas nestes. O modelo foi gerado considerando dados gerais e históricos do setor, as análises dos questionários aplicados e os mapeamentos realizados. Este modelo está dividido em duas etapas: a de análise e a do conjunto de ações para a redução das perdas. Assim, o modelo propõe uma série de técnicas e ferramentas, geralmente ligadas ao Sistema Toyota de Produção, as quais têm colaborado com diferentes setores. A implementação do modelo proposto deve possibilitar um aumento no potencial de desenvolvimento, tanto no setor de beneficiamento como em toda a cadeia produtiva das pedras preciosas. / The processing of precious stones represents an important potential business in Brazil, especially for regions such as the Taquari Valley, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. However, the companies in this sector, mostly small, lack an approach aimed at improving their production processes, reducing their losses. This study aimed at surveying data about the sector in that region, examining issues relating to production processes, in particular on losses in processes, as well as proposing a model for analysing these processes and reducing losses. The model was developed considering general and historical data in the precious stones sector, the analysis of the interviews and the mappings carried out. The model is divided into two steps: the first one is the analysis and the second one is the set of actions for reducing losses. Thus, the model proposes a series of techniques and tools, usually related to the Toyota Production System, which have cooperated with different sectors. The implementation of the proposed model shall enable an increase in the potential for development, both in the processing sector, as well as throughout the whole production chain of precious stones.

O beneficiamento de pedras preciosas representa um importante potencial empresarial e de negócios para o Brasil, em especial para regiões como a do Vale do Taquari, no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. No entanto, as empresas deste setor, em sua maioria pequenas, carecem de uma abordagem capaz de melhorar seus processos produtivos, diminuindo suas perdas. Este estudo buscou levantar dados do setor na região, diagnosticar questões relativas aos processos produtivos, em especial sobre perdas nos processos, e propor um modelo para análise dos processos e redução das perdas nestes. O modelo foi gerado considerando dados gerais e históricos do setor, as análises dos questionários aplicados e os mapeamentos realizados. Este modelo está dividido em duas etapas: a de análise e a do conjunto de ações para a redução das perdas. Assim, o modelo propõe uma série de técnicas e ferramentas, geralmente ligadas ao Sistema Toyota de Produção, as quais têm colaborado com diferentes setores. A implementação do modelo proposto deve possibilitar um aumento no potencial de desenvolvimento, tanto no setor de beneficiamento como em toda a cadeia produtiva das pedras preciosas. / The processing of precious stones represents an important potential business in Brazil, especially for regions such as the Taquari Valley, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. However, the companies in this sector, mostly small, lack an approach aimed at improving their production processes, reducing their losses. This study aimed at surveying data about the sector in that region, examining issues relating to production processes, in particular on losses in processes, as well as proposing a model for analysing these processes and reducing losses. The model was developed considering general and historical data in the precious stones sector, the analysis of the interviews and the mappings carried out. The model is divided into two steps: the first one is the analysis and the second one is the set of actions for reducing losses. Thus, the model proposes a series of techniques and tools, usually related to the Toyota Production System, which have cooperated with different sectors. The implementation of the proposed model shall enable an increase in the potential for development, both in the processing sector, as well as throughout the whole production chain of precious stones.

To remain competitive, companies are supposed to know the internal and external factors that are present in their sector and global reality, obtaining information that allow them to formulate strategies in order to stay in the market. Having this necessity in mind, the present dissertation presents the study on entrepreneurial, structural and systematic competitive factors in micro, small and medium-sized companies in the field of precious stones in Soledade RS. Through surveys, questionnaires have been applied to businesspeople from thirty-one precious stones industries, with the purpose of identifying the factors that exert major influence on the competitiveness of precious stones companies from Soledade - RS, according to the businesspeople s perception, with product delimitation of rough stones, stone works and artefacts and lapidated stones, by using the model of Coutinho and Ferraz (1995) and Ferraz, Kupfer and Haguenauer (1995). It has been verified that the groups of systematic and structural factors are the ones that mostly influence the competitiveness in this sample of companies. However, it has to be emphasized that, when comparing the average rates of influence of the three groups of variants (entrepreneurial, structural and systematic factors), the percentages obtained have been very much alike, from what may be concluded that the competitiveness of precious stones companies from Soledade is related to strategies that integrate these three groups of factors with similar degrees of influence. / Para que as empresas consigam se manter competitivas precisam conhecer os fatores internos e externos presentes na sua realidade setorial e global, obtendo informações que lhes permitam formular estratégias para se manterem no mercado. Tendo em vista essa necessidade, o presente trabalho de dissertação apresenta o estudo de fatores de competitividade empresariais, estruturais e sistêmicos em micro, pequenas e médias empresas industriais pertencentes ao setor de pedras preciosas de Soledade RS. Através de uma pesquisa de levantamento, foram aplicados questionários aos empresários de trinta e uma empresas industriais de pedras preciosas com o objetivo de identificar os fatores que exercem maior influência na competitividade das empresas de pedras preciosas de Soledade RS, segundo a percepção dos empresários, com delimitação nos produtos pedras preciosas em bruto, obras e artefatos em pedra e pedras lapidadas, utilizando o modelo de Coutinho e Ferraz (1995) e de Ferraz, Kupfer e Haguenauer (1995). Verificou-se que os conjuntos dos fatores sistêmicos e dos fatores estruturais são os que mais exercem influência na competitividade deste grupo de empresas. Porém, ressalva-se que ao se comparar os índices médios de influência dos três conjuntos de variáveis (fatores empresariais, estruturais e sistêmicos), obtiveram-se percentuais muito próximos, do que se conclui que a competitividade das empresas industriais de pedras preciosas de Soledade está relacionada a estratégias que integram esses três conjuntos de fatores com graus semelhantes de influência.

This thesis investigates the potential and limits of portable Raman spectrometers for their application in situ in the environment of museum collections. The data sets were obtained at the two locations. The first measurement took place in the Jewish Museum in Prague. Here we have studied stones from a silver Torah shield from the first half of the nineteen century. This shield is decorated with a set of precious and semi-precious stones and glass imitations. The shield originates from Poland and has been studied using two portable Raman spectrometers (785 nm and 532 and excitations). The second measurement took place in the premises of the Prague Loreto where we had available, at that time still unshown, objects of art for the forthcoming new exhibition. It was about jewelry like earrings, rings, bracelets and brooches, also about ordinary objects of daily use like mirrors, bowls and perfume bottles, or about the objects with religious themes, mostly crowns for the Virgin Mary and baby jesus. The obtained Raman bands correspond well with the reference values of the minerals, the deviation ranged in the order of +/- 3 cm-1 , which in general permits unambiguous identification of phases. Portable handheld Raman spectrometers working with a laser wavelength of 785 nm and 532 nm were able to quickly...

The aim of the thesis is to clarify the importance of diversifying investment portfolios with the help of precious metals at the present time and to analyze the fluctuation of precious metals market in terms of demand, supply and price developments. The core of the thesis focuses on analysis of the market of precious metals from 1998 to 2011 The used work method is comparison of precious metals between themselves and the world stock indices, the method of analysis in separate calculations of indicators, the method of deduction from the results of calculations.

Since the East Texas area has many minerals in the categories which yield semiprecious stones of commercial value--jasper, wood agate, wood opal, and silicified stone, the author undertook this study to determine: (1) the extent which these minerals could be utilized as sources for gems; (2) the equipment necessary for cutting and polishing the stones; and (3) the techniques for finishing the gems.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (M Eng (Metallurgical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted

Outotec Sweden AB works in the field of precious metal refining. Silver electrorefining is one of Outotec’s technologies widely applied in numerous silver refining plants worldwide. During this project a specific section in a silver refinery plant has been investigated. Today’s system provided by Outotec utilises gravity as a means of transport of the slurry consisting of refined silver crystals and silver electrolyte. The slurry is directed from the electrolysis cells through pipes mounted in an angle towards a separation tank. This solution requires three floors of the building of the refinery plant. The goal of this project was to develop concepts which would transport the slurry of silver crystals from the electrolysis cells to a separation tank within a single floor of the building. The implementation of such a system would result in lowering the overall investment cost of the refinery by at least 7 %. Ulrich & Eppinger’s product development process has been utilised in this thesis work which is a six step sequential method for development of products. Through this process, four concepts for transportation of silver crystal slurry were developed, analysed and cost estimated - Syringe, Drop to circulation tank, Suction Pump and Conveyor. The syringe concept eliminated the need for a single floor of the refinery, which translated to total projected investment cost of 337 000 SEK and an overall investment savings of 8.3 %. Drop to circulation tank eliminated the need for two floors which lead to a total estimated cost of 862 000 SEK. This corresponded to an overall investment savings of 16.5 %. The two final concepts - suction pump and conveyor was estimated to cost 346 000 and 337 000 SEK respectively. Both of the concepts resulted in a total projected savings of the overall investment by 8.3%, eliminating the need for one of the three floors in the refinery. The conclusion is that each of the concepts developed surpassed the goal of lowering the overall investment of the refinery by at least 7%. Three of the four concepts eliminated the need for one floor while the final one, drop to circulation tank, eliminated the need for two of the three floors. The concepts must be tested before implemented. This could either be conducted by approximating the electrolyte as water and silver crystals as metal shavings or by sludge. It would however be beneficial if a test rig is constructed for each concept and they are tested with the same mixture of silver slurry that is transported in Outotec’s existing refineries. The circulation tank should also be installed on the same floor as the electrolysis cells and the separation tank for the syringe, conveyor and suction pump concepts. This was never investigated by the authors since it was a limitation stated as the project was initiated. This component was however included in the drop to circulation tank concept since it was considered being part of the transportation system. If the circulation tank is installed on the same floor as the other components it will result in eliminating the need for two floors, which would ultimately lead to a substantial decrease in overall investment cost.