Revenues from the Supply Ministry’s Assay Office garnered LE27 million in the last six months from stamping 26 tons of gold artifacts.
Supply and Internal Trade Minister Khaled Hanafy said a presidential decree is underway to transfer the Assay Office (the office that tests gold to determine quantities of metal in a compound) into an economic body in order to develop new regulatory tools, including a barcode system for gold artifacts and other precious metals. This move will help minimize forgery.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Hanafy, head of the Assay Office, said inspection campaigns on gold and silver stores and workshops will be launched after Ramadan. He warned citizens of adulterated gold artifacts from China, which is sold in bulk and not in grams, and added that they can cause irritation to the skin if worn for long periods of time.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
