Gold Sectors Research Articles

Intellectual property protection in the oil, gold sectors and mineral resources rent on indigenous populations: Preserving innovation and value

This study investigates into the intricate relationship between intellectual property protection and the wellbeing of indigenous communities within the oil, gold, and mineral sectors. Covering the period from 1990 to 2020 and focusing on nations rich in natural resources such as Russia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and Australia, the research employs advanced econometric models to dissect the dynamics between intellectual property protection, innovation within these sectors, and the preservation of economic and cultural values. The dependent variable in our analysis encompasses a composite measure that reflects the overall socio-economic and cultural impact of these sectors on indigenous communities. Our findings reveal that stronger intellectual property protection measures potentially foster innovation and value generation in these sectors. However, it also emerges that these measures could lead to adverse consequences for indigenous communities, including restricted access to resources and potential displacement. This work significantly contributes to understanding the complex interplay among intellectual property protection, indigenous communities, and the economic benefits derived from natural resource revenues, offering insights into optimizing policy frameworks for sustainable and equitable resource management.

Fabrication of Nanostructures Consisting of Composite Nanoparticles by Open-Air PLD

We present a two-step physical method for the fabrication of composite nanoparticle-based nanostructures. The proposed method is based on the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique performed sequentially in vacuum and in air. As a first step, thin-alloyed films of iron with noble metal were deposited by PLD in vacuum. The films were prepared by ablation of a mosaic target formed by equal iron and gold sectors. As a second step, the as-prepared alloyed films were ablated in air at atmospheric pressure as the laser beam scanned their surface. Two sets of experiments were performed in the second step, namely, by applying nanosecond (ns) and picosecond (ps) laser pulses for ablation. The structure, microstructure, morphology, and optical properties of the samples obtained were studied with respect to the laser ablation regime applied. The implementation of the ablation process in open air resulted in the formation of nanoparticle and/or nanoparticle aggregates in the plasma plume regardless of the ablation regime applied. These nanoparticles and/or nanoaggregates deposited on the substrate formed a complex porous structure. It was found that ablating FeAu films in air by ns pulses resulted in the fabrication of alloyed nanoparticles, while ablation by ps laser pulses results in separation of the metals in the alloy and further oxidation of Fe. In the latter case, the as-deposited structures also contain core–shell type nanoparticles, with the shell consisting of Fe-oxide phase. The obtained structures, regardless of the ablation regime applied, demonstrate a red-shifted plasmon resonance with respect to the plasmon resonance of pure Au nanoparticles.

Proposed Business Strategy for PT Aneka Tambang TBK for Market Development in Order to Increase Export of Ferronickel

PT Aneka Tambang (ANTAM) Tbk is part of the SOE’s Holding Mining Industry which vertically integrated, export-oriented, diversified mining and metals company. ANTAM has two big commodities which are gold sectors and nickel sectors. Nickel based products consist of Nickel Ore, Ferronickel, Bauxite, and Alumina. Ferronickel is a high-grade product of nickel downstream which contains 20% – 25% of nickel and mostly consumed by stainless steel companies. ANTAM is the only company in Indonesia that can produce Ferronickel. In the nickel market, many companies produce the substitute product of Ferronickel which is Nickel Pig Iron (NPI). Ferronickel and NPI are serving the same market while NPI itself contain lower of nickel and cheaper than Ferronickel. Government of Indonesia supported the development of downstream industries in Indonesia. The growth of battery industries is escalating resulted high demand for it. Technology is currently improving the process to transform Ferronickel and NPI into Nickel Mattes (Ni Mattes) which used to be an intermediate component to produce electric vehicles (EV). Based on the demand of global market, there are many demands for Ferronickel supplies in the worldwide. However, the capacity exports of Ferronickel in ANTAM are still far behind. This study analyzes business problems using several tools to identify the external environment and internal environment of ANTAM. SWOT analysis is used to capture the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat that affects the business of the company. The Root Cause Analysis is used to define problems that happened in ANTAM and needed to be solved. Data and information were obtained from various sources such as interviews with the internal of ANTAM, observation, and study from the literature. The study found that ANTAM has lower export sales caused by the limited market scope, lack of promotion, and no product development. To overcome the problems that faced by ANTAM, the author proposes a business strategy for ANTAM for market development to increase export of Ferronickel by using the Strategy Diamond Framework and Ansoff Matrix as the strategy that will be implemented in ANTAM. The stages in this strategy were concerned more with the issues and provide solutions to increase the export of Ferronickel. Therefore, ANTAM should focus on market development to reach the widen market and fulfill the demand of Ferronickel in the global market.

Rough Cut: Sustainability Issues in the Coloured Gemstone Industry

Global coloured gemstone industry suffers from poor working conditions Coloured gemstones such as sapphire, ruby and emerald adorn countless pieces of jewellery. However, recent field research in Thailand and Madagascar, a company survey among leading international jewellers and a literature review by SOMO all demonstrate that the world behind these gemstones does not hold much sparkle. The retail value of coloured gemstones is estimated at US$ 10 - 15bn worldwide. Trade statistics indicate a value of nearly US$ 4bn worldwide. However, as in many other commodity chains value and sustainability issues are distributed unevenly. People tend to earn less every step down the coloured gemstone supply chain. Many stones originate in the poorest developing countries, like Tanzania, Madagascar and Zambia. Then they go to less poor developing countries like India, China and Thailand, where they are cut and polished. And eventually they are sold to wealthy consumers in the West. Major labour problems occur at the beginning of the production process. Child labour, health hazards, fatal accidents, low income and employment insecurity: it is mainly the miners and gemstone processing workers who suffer from these effects. To date however there are no serious industry wide sustainability initiatives in place to address and attempt to mitigate the sustainability issues that plague this sector. Whereas the gold and diamond sectors, often involving the same jewellers as the coloured gemstone industry, show that industry wide efforts are possible. It is the authors’ opinion that it is high time for the jewellery sector and other coloured stone stakeholders to start taking their responsibility.

An International Investigation of the Factors that Determine Conditional Gold Betas

AbstractWe investigate the unconditional and conditional gold betas of four country‐based gold industry portfolios. First, we document the similarity of unconditional gold betas across countries. Second, we find that the factors affecting conditional gold betas are different in the Australian and South African gold sectors relative to their North American counterparts. Only the gold bullion return volatility shows a negative association with conditional gold betas in Australian and South African gold mining firms. Moreover, gold price does not appear to play a systematic role in determining Australian or South African conditional gold betas. We discuss possible explanations for these findings.

Mineral resources accounting: A technique formonitoring the Philippine mining industry for sustainable development

Mining which extracts exhaustible mineral resources has been condemned by certain sectors as promoting social inequity and underdevelopment. This is so because once a tonne of copper, say, is mined it is forever lost to the future generation. Such perception translates into policies that are usually disadvantageous or even hostile to the industry. Despite this adverse criticism, recent developments in natural resources accounting indicate that mining can truly contribute to the sustainable economic development of a society. True worth of mining in economic development can be assessed and monitored on a continuing basis through an appropriate system of natural accounts (SNA). If the industry is found deficient, such SNA can also point out how the industry can be made to constribute to sustainable growth. The prevailing SNA is criticized as having failed to capture the adverse effects on the welfare of society of producing a nonrenewable resource such as minerals. For instance, the production of copper for a particular year registers an increase in gross national product equivalent to its monetary value. However, the concomitant depletion of the country's natural wealth due to such production is nowhere recorded in the SNA. This faulty accounting gives rise to policies that result in nonsustainable economic growth. In order to address the preceding problem, this paper presents an accounting formula applicable to any nonrenewable resource whereby revenue is decomposed into income and capital components. To achieve sustainable economic growth, it states that the capital component must be invested to generate future incomes. However, investments need not be confined to the same sector. Application of the accounting scheme to the Philippine copper and gold sectors during the 1980–1990 period leads to the following conclusions: (a) by and large, gold and copper mining operations have indeed contributed positively to national income, contrary to allegations of certain sectors of society; (b) level of reserves, metal prices, level of production and interest rates are the major determinants of mineral depletion; as (c) given the results of the accounting exercise, policies can be formulated to enhance sustainable growth. One important constraint of the exercise is the failure to include the environmental effects which are usually considered (though not necessarily so) detrimental to society's welfare mainly because they are not being monitored.

A Supply and Demand Exposition of the Operation of a Gold Standard in a Closed Economy

Neither short-run nor long-run price stability is a necessary state of affairs under a gold standard, according to the authors. This conclusion results from an examination of possible differential rates of productivity growth in the gold and non-gold producing sectors.