OPAL

Opal

The root of Opal's name is the Sanskrit word "upala", meaning precious stone. There is always some water in the opal's chemistry composition, in a portion that varies from 3 to 20%, depending on the Opal's type. Opals can be found in different colors : white, gray, blue, green, orange and black, this last one being very rare. An aura of mysticism and fascination is related to the Opal. The mixture of colors that comes from its inner part gives it an appearance that since the ancient times has intrigued men. Arabic tales spread the believe that Opals came down to earth as flashes of light. The Greeks believed that an Opal's owner would get the gift of prophecy and would be protected from illness. Europeans for a long time considered Opals as a symbol of hope, purity and truth. The biggest producers of Opals are Brazil, Australia and Mexico.

Blue Topaz

Blue Topaz

Blue Topaz is the most popular and common Topaz in the world. Some believe that the word Topaz comes from the Sanskrit word "tapas" meaning fire. Others believe that it is due to St John's island in the Red Sea (the ancient Topazos). The tremendous interest in Blue Topaz has led jewelers to develop several kinds of blue varying from pale blue as the sky (Sky Blue), up to the deep blue similar to a Sapphire (London Blue). Most of the Blue Topazes in the market were originally a white stone that through a peculiar process of radiation changes the color to blue. Despite the deep blue being the most popular color, each blue has its own appearance and personality. The biggest producers in Brazil are Minas Gerais, Bahia and Espirito Santo. It can also be found in Australia, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and USA.

Emerald

Emerald

The name Emerald comes from the Greek "smaragdos" (meaning green stone), is the most precious gem of the Beryl family. Its inclusions, proof of authenticity, are known as gardens. Frequently the gem looks cloudy and only the fine qualities are transparent. In ancient times it was considered as a symbol of immortality. The first Emerald known in history was found in Egypt, where there are evidences of mining activities since 2000 BC. Cleopatra was famous for her passion for Emeralds, and she always used them in her royal adornments. Europeans became aware of Colombian Emeralds after the Spanish crusades in South America. Brazil is one of the biggest producers of Emeralds. Most of the Emeralds found in Brazil come the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia and Goias.

Fonte: Lasbonfim

Alexandrite

Fonte: Lasbonfim

Alexandrite

Alexandrite is a rare Chrysoberyl variety that changes its color according to the light source: Emerald by day, Ruby by night. Abundant deposits were first discovered in Russia in 1830. The gem was named after the Czar Alexander II, and it caught the country's attention because its red and green colors reflected the Imperial Russian flag. Nowadays, Alexandrite is mostly found in Sri Lanka and Brazil. Because of its rarity and scarcity, especially in larger sizes, Alexandrite became one of the most expensive Chrysoberyl. The biggest Alexandrite already found to date weights 66 carats and it is displayed at the Smithsonian Institute, in Washington, DC, USA.

Vale prevê economia de US$ 26 mi em 2018 com inteligência artificial

Vale prevê economia de US$ 26 mi em 2018 com inteligência artificial

A mineradora brasileira Vale prevê economizar 26 milhões de dólares com a adoção de inteligência artificial em dez projetos, que utilizam novas metodologias de manutenção para equipamentos de mina, ajudam a evitar problemas nos trilhos das ferrovias e promovem melhorias na gestão das usinas de beneficiamento de minério e de pelotização.

Nos dez projetos, a Vale explicou que está coletando os milhões de dados gerados por sensores instalados e analisando-os com a ajuda de sistemas de inteligência artificial. ”Dessa forma, geram-se insights sobre o comportamento dos equipamentos, que ajudam a prever problemas e influenciam a tomada de decisões”, destacou a empresa.

Em um dos projetos de maior impacto, a mineradora destacou que conseguiu aumentar em 30 por cento a vida útil dos pneus de caminhões fora de estrada da mina de cobre de Salobo, no Pará, gerando uma economia de 5 milhões de dólares em 2017. A empresa destacou que iniciou a implantação de um programa de transformação digital em 2016, com o objetivo de economizar mais de 100 milhões de dólares até o fim de 2018.

Fonte: Reuters