The Gemological Institute of America plans to open a second overseas lab in Johannesburg, South Africa, in early 2008. This move comes three months after GIA’s board of governors approved global expansion plans.

The new lab will have GIA taking over the laboratory functions of the Jewelry Council of South Africa. JCSA’s current executive director, Leslie Milner, will become director of the GIA Johannesburg laboratory. The new lab will accept submissions from neighboring Botswana and Namibia.

In addition, GIA will expand its educational offerings in South Africa, it said.