In the first presentation of IPMI’s session at the CIBJO Congress, Dave Siminski of United Precious Metal Refining, the largest primary refiner in the United States, spoke of the vital importance of processing extensive and intricate documentation, including KYC, when onboarding customers at the refiner.

KYC (Know Your Customer) is a mandatory process that businesses use to verify the identity of their clients and assess their risk levels.

“We have to make sure we know who we are dealing with,” Mr Siminski said.

He spoke of the importance of protecting information, adding that a thorough onboarding process ensured a good fit between the refiner and its customers.

“It’s part of our business model now,” he said.

He also referred to the importance of training associates within the group — KYA, or Know Your Associate.

In a second presentation, Alice Vanni of Italpreziosi outlined plans to drive refiners towards responsible practices, including the latest moves to identify the origin of material for refining.

She presented a new platform, Chain of Information, to help guide sustainability efforts.

She added that a new Italpreziosi app had been developed and would be launched soon to guide small cooperatives, communities and artisanal miners towards responsible practices.

Jonathan Jodry of Metalor, and the session’s moderator, presented the group’s geo-forensic passport service to safeguard traceability.

The service can detect material coming from different sources with high accuracy and identify whether different materials have been mixed together.

“A signature of a mine is changing over time,” Mr Jodry said.

Andrea Chiarini of refiner TCA presented the group’s life cycle assessment methods, used to measure and quantify the environmental footprint of products and processes.

“Two-thirds of total impacts are driven by chemicals, energy carriers and industrial gases,” he said.

“Electricity is the largest single contributor across all categories.”

At the start of the session, Jodry outlined an extensive awards programme involving IPMI.

IPMI is developing its Premier Awards for exceptional contributions to the precious metals industry.

Recent recipients have included CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri.

IPMI is also promoting Student Awards to support the next generation in the precious metals industry.

The IPMI New England Chapter is organising the Annual Jewelry Awards.