The metals that will be used to produce the medals for the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics were delivered
to the organizers Tuesday, marking an important milestone in the
countdown to the Games.
Zhao Dongming (L), director
of BOCOG's cultural activities department, and Clinton Dines, BHP
Billiton China president, talk in front of an Olympic medal display
Tuesday in Shanghai.
About 13 kg of gold, 1.34 tons of silver and 6.93 tons of copper
cathode, were sourced from Australia and Chile through BHP
Billiton, the diversified minerals and medals sponsor for both
Games.
Over the next five months, the Shanghai Mint, under the China
Banknote Printing and Minting Corp, will create 1,000 medals for
each of the three medal categories, as well as tens of thousands of
commemorative medals for the two events.
The raw materials for the medals, sourced and shipped from BHP
Billiton's Cannington mine in Queensland, Australia, and its
Escondida and Spence operations in Chile, have been refined in
China at the smelter of Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group and Henan
Yuguang Gold and Lead Group.
Kunlun jade, a precious stone that will also be used in the
medals, was delivered earlier to the Shanghai Mint.
Zhao Dongming, director of the cultural activity department of
Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad,
said: "The handover ceremony is a milestone in our partnership with
BHP Billiton that began nearly two years ago when we prepared to
launch the inaugural medal design contest".
For the first time in Olympic history, the medals for the
Beijing Games will blend metal and gemstone. On the reverse side of
each medal will be a jade ring with a metal centerpiece engraved
with the emblem of the event.
Tong Weina, the mint's managing director, told China
Daily Tuesday: "In line with Olympic standards, a gold medal
contains at least 6g of gold with the remainder being pure silver.
We promise our practice strictly abides by these requirements and
all the medals will be delivered on time."
Clinton Dines, BHP Billiton China President, said the company's
charter values "converge completely" with Olympic ideals.
"The Beijing Olympics and Paralympics offer us an opportunity to
demonstrate our commitment to China's development and its
importance to us as a market," Dines said.
(China Daily January 16, 2008)
