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Evidence Guide: CUVOPA407A - Apply advanced pre-cutting processes to complex opals

Student: __________________________________________________

Signature: _________________________________________________

Tips for gathering evidence to demonstrate your skills

The important thing to remember when gathering evidence is that the more evidence the better - that is, the more evidence you gather to demonstrate your skills, the more confident an assessor can be that you have learned the skills not just at one point in time, but are continuing to apply and develop those skills (as opposed to just learning for the test!). Furthermore, one piece of evidence that you collect will not usualy demonstrate all the required criteria for a unit of competency, whereas multiple overlapping pieces of evidence will usually do the trick!

From the Wiki University

 

CUVOPA407A - Apply advanced pre-cutting processes to complex opals

What evidence can you provide to prove your understanding of each of the following citeria?

Identify type of opal rough

  1. Undertake preliminary investigations before deciding how to proceed with cutting or carving the opal
  2. Review current market requirements and consult with client to determine his/her preference for how opal could be cut
  3. Based on knowledge of the geological formation of opal, field from which the opal came and past experience, determine the location of the colour within the rough opal
  4. Discuss possible strategies for cutting with colleagues and client as required
  5. Determine jewellers’ requirements for products being considered
  6. Review the options for cutting and plan cut to achieve the best result
Undertake preliminary investigations before deciding how to proceed with cutting or carving the opal

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review current market requirements and consult with client to determine his/her preference for how opal could be cut

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based on knowledge of the geological formation of opal, field from which the opal came and past experience, determine the location of the colour within the rough opal

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discuss possible strategies for cutting with colleagues and client as required

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determine jewellers’ requirements for products being considered

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review the options for cutting and plan cut to achieve the best result

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Block off the stone (boulder opal)

  1. When working with boulder opal, use a series of cuts to block off stone to gain more information about position and quality of the opal present in the stone and determine best gem outcomes from that piece of boulder
  2. Identify position of opal and minimise waste when making cuts
  3. If appropriate, split block opal along fault lines
When working with boulder opal, use a series of cuts to block off stone to gain more information about position and quality of the opal present in the stone and determine best gem outcomes from that piece of boulder

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identify position of opal and minimise waste when making cuts

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If appropriate, split block opal along fault lines

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expose the colour

  1. Use appropriate equipment to expose the colour without removing gem material
  2. Select the correct grinding wheels and grits for a given piece
Use appropriate equipment to expose the colour without removing gem material

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select the correct grinding wheels and grits for a given piece

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decide on whether to cut and/or carve the opal

  1. Review the stone, determine the directionality and decide on the final outcome to be achieved
  2. Remove unwanted material and prepare the stone for final processing
  3. Select the way to cut the stone for the best artistic and commercial return
Review the stone, determine the directionality and decide on the final outcome to be achieved

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove unwanted material and prepare the stone for final processing

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select the way to cut the stone for the best artistic and commercial return

Completed
Date:

Teacher:		 Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessed

Teacher: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Signature: ________________________________________________

Comments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions to Assessors

Evidence Guide

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

make sound decisions about the final outcome to be achieved and complete all pre-cutting and pre-forming processes for boulder, black and especially valuable or difficult opals

demonstrate knowledge of geological formation and structure of opal.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment of this unit requires access to an opal-cutting workshop.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

observation of processes and procedures

oral and/or written questioning on underpinning knowledge and skills

evaluation of the final product

review of portfolios of evidence

review of third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by candidate.

Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy) and the needs of particular groups (e.g. people with disabilities, and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties, such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling).

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector workplace and job role is recommended.

Required Skills and Knowledge

Required skills

communication skills to discuss cutting strategies with clients and colleagues

planning and organising skills to:

choose appropriate equipment

select the way to cut the stone for best artistic and commercial return

problem-solving skills to deal with complications in the pre-cutting stage as well as OHS or safety issues

numeracy skills to use numerical features of machinery

technical skills to:

make sound decisions to achieve best colour and yield

determine the position of the colour in a boulder opal

use appropriate equipment

apply OHS principles and safe operating procedures.

Required knowledge

characteristics of opal gemstone structure and formation

importance of achieving yield when cutting a gemstone

market trends

jewellers’ and industry requirements

OHS principles and safe operating procedures for cutting machinery, including:

appropriate procedures for dealing with emissions

complying with the safe operating procedures for each machine

using personal protective equipment (PPE) where required.

Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Appropriate equipment may include:

Asahi wheel

diamond grinder

diamond sawing

free-hand saw

nova wheel

silicon carbide grinder

slab saw

trim saw.

Unwanted material may include:

cotton and gypsum

cracked material

crockery

iron stone

materials with inclusions or stains

matrix (in black opal as a unwanted inclusion)

poor colour

potch

sandstone.