Consider for moment that 'used' isn't always more ethical than 'new'. Certainly in many cases, that's true but it's not an absolute. Ignoring the option of Fairmined gold is choosing to disengage from the urgent needs of the communities and land where our jewelry comes from.
Gold is an element in limited supply, and we have yet to be able to synthesize gold in a cost effective way for commercial use. According to some estimates, there's only about 20% of gold left to be mined and gold mining will be unsustainable by the year 2050. The gold is coming out of the ground no matter how much its reused so the only thing left to consider is, 'Who benefits when I make this purchase?'
"Becoming more aware means making yourself open to both the issues and the solutions and recognizing yourself as either a contributor to one or the other." -Christina Miller, member of the Ethical Metalsmiths Advisory Board
There are roughly 40 million small scale miners worldwide. 30%-50% are women and nearly 100% are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The terms of the Fairmined mandate state that mine operators must provide safe working conditions and health care benefits for miners. Fairmined gold uses no chemical or cyanide which is used in the separation of gold from ore. Instead, they use a gravity process without the use of chemicals. Becoming Fairmined certified is a long process due to compliance with the strictest legal, organizational labor, technical, social, and environmental regulations. Independent auditors visit the mines regularly and further third-party certification is required.
"The goal for responsible sourcing isn't just to offer materials that lessen the negative impact of our industry, but instead to create alternatives that can provide a positive impact in the communities and environments where our resources are extracted." -Anna Bario of Bario-Neal
Because Fairmined gold comes at a premium price, there are varying levels of commitment that businesses are able to achieve. According to the World Gold Council, 99% of the gold carbon footprint is associated with activities that are outside of the direct control of jewelry designers. A realistic approach for business is to use Fairmined when possible and to complete your sourcing mix with recycled gold and some that belonged to your customers.
More and more people are looking for jewelry that is responsibly sourced. Chopard has begun their ethical gold journey by creating a capsule collection using Fairmined gold. The positive response from their customers has inspired Chopard to expand their Fairmined gold line. Some designers have chosen to deal with the increase by simply explaining the difference in cost the same way you would explain the difference from a ring made by a local designer and a mass-produced ring made overseas. The jewelry designer, Steven Webster has chosen to absorbs the added cost of ethical gold. Webster saying, "We don't want price to be the reason not to choose a more responsible product".
I encourage you to take a look at the websites for Fairmined Gold and Ethical Metalsmiths to get a better understanding of why many jewelers are changing how they buy gold and to get a sense of the oversight and rigorous standards applied to the Fairmined gold label. If you're interested in using Fairmined gold for your next jewelry project you can ask your designer to purchase Harmony Fairmined Gold from the Hoover and Strong website. Hoover and Strong is a wholesale distributor and a valid business license is required to sign up.
Photo credit: Hoover and Strong
Articles referenced:
https://www.jckonline.com/magazine-article/fairtrade-fairmined-and-the-ethical-gold-rush/
https://fairmined.org/ethical-gold-recycled-gold-comparision/
https://goxi.org/blog/pioneering-jewelers-make-fairmined-gold-available-in-the-us
https://fairmined.org/christina-miller-interview/
https://ethicalmetalsmiths.org/blog/my-trip-to-the-fairmined-gold-mines-in-peru
https://ethicalmetalsmiths.org/blog/colombias-fairmined-gold-route