Colombian emerald traceability

Emeralds have their own chain in the PTM: four codes (emerald, rough, cut and morralla, the low-grade material), the carat as the unit, and a transformation step, cutting, that changes the code of the material. Each carat that leaves the mine should be traceable to the cut stone that is sold or exported.

According to Bulletin 26, "Minería en cifras", of Colombia's Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME), February 2026 (opens in a new tab), emeralds accounted for 1.2 % of Colombia's mining exports in 2025, and the quantity of cut emeralds exported grew 48.4 % compared with 2024.

The Mining Technical Glossary (opens in a new tab) defines gems as mineral, and some organic, substances valued for beauty, durability and rarity; the carat as the unit of mass for pearls and precious stones, equal to 0.200 grams; and cutting as shaping gems with diamond polishing wheels. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (opens in a new tab), the end uses of gemstones are jewelry, carvings and collections.

The same glossary defines a synthetic emerald as green beryl produced artificially. Traceability documents the mine origin of each lot, something a synthetic stone does not have.

Boyacá concentrates almost the entire chain: it holds about nine out of ten mining titles with emeralds and declared more than 99 % of the carats in 2025. The UPME bulletin shows the same for exports: 99.8 % of the cut emeralds exported in 2025 came from Boyacá, bound for Hong Kong (55.7 %), Thailand (14.6 %) and the United States (13.3 %).

In the PTM, rough and cut emeralds have different codes. Cutting is a transformation: the carats of rough consumed, the cut carats obtained and the loss are reported, and the PTM rejects the record if the rough does not equal the cut stones plus the loss (error 400062 of the technical annex of ANM Resolution 759 of 2024 (opens in a new tab)).

Among the Single Registry of Mineral Traders (RUCOM) denominations in use there is none for cut emeralds: the two that exist name rough material. The difference between rough and cut is marked by the PTM code. For exports, the UPME classifies cut emeralds under the subheading "emeralds otherwise worked".

For purchases from subsistence miners, Ministry of Mines Resolution 40103 of 2017 (opens in a new tab) caps sales at 50 carats of emerald per month and 600 per year per miner (1,000 and 12,000 for morralla), and the PTM rejects a purchase that exceeds the yearly quota.

MinTrace calculates, in carats, the loss between the rough consumed and the cut stones obtained when each cutting process closes, and keeps separate balances for rough, cut and morralla in the inventory by mineral.

For exports, MinTrace records the international closing with the currency, the representative market exchange rate (TRM) and the foreign buyer's details, and keeps with the sale the same origin evidence that was reported to the PTM.

With Mineral Invest, an investment manager can give its investors access to the production process of each lot, from the mine to the export, on a site under its own brand. MinTrace does not make securities offerings or manage third-party funds.

1. 1

   Which OTTM do you use to record your transactions in the PTM?

2. 2

   Which purchases of rough, with which certificates of origin or production declarations, did these cut stones come from?

3. 3

   Is each cutting process reported to the PTM as a transformation, in carats, with its loss?

4. 4

   Can you share the acceptance code of the international closing?

5. 5

   From what date is recording in the PTM mandatory for your category?