REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PURWAKARTA -- It is good news for the agate lovers because the government of Purwakarta, West Java, will create a laboratory to test the agate. So, the stone has a standardized and high economic value.
Regent of Purwakarta, Kang Dedi Mulyadi admitted his side will seriously make the laboratory. The budget will be posted on this 2015 local government budget changes.
"If it’s necessary, Indonesia should have agate services authority," said Kang Dedi, told Republika, on Sunday, May 3.
According to the head of this eccentric area, agate standardization is very important. He gave an example; Singapore is a small country that does not have abundant natural resources such as Indonesia. They do not have oil, a source of water, mountains, mines, but they were progressed because all good are standardized.
Similarly, on banking and financial institutions, there is Financial Services Authority (OJK). The agate also should have its own.
In the agate laboratory, the agate community or fans could do a laboratory test to measure the quality of the stone, the year, and what elements contained therein. So the price of the stone is not judged only by subjectivity alone but by its standards. Tested stones will have high value.
Meanwhile, when agate festival in Purwakarta lasted last week, appeared a new phenomenon. Apparently, Purwakarta also has agate typical of the region. Namely, agate Cikao origin from Cikao River, stone Ciherang origin from Ciherang River, stone Maniis from Maniis District, as well as Cikeris stones from the Cikeris village.