Jewellery Mining – a catastrophe waiting to happen

Jewellery is something that most people own. It is often given as a gift or a token of affection and is handed down from generation to generation. However, how many of us actually think about how our jewellery is produced? The sad fact is that the precious metals and stones that make up our jewellery are often associated with exploitation, wars and environmental degradation.

It looks nice - but what is it doing to the environment?

You may have heard the term ‘dirty gold’ and wondered what it referred to. It does not refer to the quality of the gold; rather it refers to how the gold was produced. The term ‘dirty gold’ was coined by NGOs such as Oxfam and Earthworks whose aim is to promote improvements in the environmental and social aspects of gold mining. Eighty percent of the gold that is mined is used by the jewellery industry. Gold jewellery sells for up to four times the price of the gold it contains making it a highly profitable business. However, there is another cost to gold and one that is seldom seen by the consumer. Gold is often mined in open pits and on average for every ounce of gold that is produced 70 tonnes of waste will be produced. Often the gold is extracted by simply using massive amounts of water to wash away the soil. The waste produced during this process is highly toxic as it contains heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, lead and selenium. The waste is not removed or treated it is simply left in piles sometimes up to 100 metres in height.

Looking for gold is terrible to the environment, just awful

Once the ore has been extracted it is sprayed with cyanide a practice that is known as cyanide or heap leaching. Cyanide is an extremely toxic substance a tiny drop can be lethal to humans and a concentration as low as 1 microgram per litre of water can be fatal to fish. After this process the cyanide-gold compound is sent to a mill to be separated and the leftover cyanide is stored in ponds to be re-used. This process can take months or years and during that time the cyanide can contaminate the surrounding area. The gold is sent to a refining and smelting centre where huge amounts of fossil fuels have to be used to remove the impurities from the metal.

Around 50 percent of these mining operations are taking place on native lands. This is devastating for indigenous people who rely heavily on their environment for food and other necessities. Mining threatens their livelihood, their health and their way of life. Even after the mining operation ceases it will leave a toxic legacy of disease, regional climate change, acid mine drainage and the destruction of ecosystems.

Wow - this place is like a gold mine!

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but they also have a history that is steeped in scandal and bloodshed.  You may have heard the term ‘blood diamonds’, which are also known as ‘conflict diamonds’, or at least the film of that name that starred Leonardo DiCaprio. This term comes from the use of the diamonds to fuel conflicts and civil wars. The money from these diamonds has been used to fund brutal conflicts that have resulted in the deaths of millions, and millions more being displaced from their homes. Diamonds can also be used by terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda to fund their activities and for money laundering.

However, it is not just this aspect of diamond mining that is a problem. Diamond mining whilst by no means being the worst form of mining still causes environmental problems. In Africa there has been a loss of fish habitat due to the destruction of streams, draining of lakes and drop in water quality. The changes in water quality can be irreversible and can result in changes in species composition or loss of species altogether. In some areas lakes have disappeared altogether and no measures have been taken to compensate for loss of fish habitat or to provide locals with alternative sources of income or food. There can also be loss of habitat for land based wildlife such as wolverines, grizzly bears and caribou. Diamonds are also often mined using open-pit techniques, which disturbs vast areas of land and leaves behind polluted groundwater and erosion. In countries such as Sierra Leone and Angola where there is little environmental regulation previously fertile farmland has been turned into a lunar landscape of craters which provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The local residents in these areas are thus at a higher risk of contracting malaria and other water-borne diseases.

Diamond mines require millions of litres of diesel to operate and this contributes to the production of greenhouse gases. In addition to these environmental problems diamond mining can also create social and cultural problems. Social tensions created by a sudden influx of money can see rises in family violence, crime and substance abuse. Shift-work patterns imposed on workers can also disrupt family life with parents being away from their children for protracted periods. In areas where mining is being carried out on tribal lands thousands of people have been evicted from their homes. In Botswana the Central Kalahari Bushmen were forcibly removed from their land to make way for a new diamond mine. The Bushmen eventually won the right to return to their homes, but have since suffered harassment from the Botswana government.

Platinum mining also causes environmental problems. In South Africa the mining of platinum has damaged the environment, increased the number of respiratory infections in the local people and contributes to the formation of informal settlements. Mine waste is not properly handled allowing it to pollute the local water. High levels of dioxins have been found in the slag from a platinum mine located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

Steps can be taken to ensure that mining poses less of a problem for local people. For example reed and grass production and harvesting near platinum mines could tackle the mine waste problem by absorbing the contaminants in the water. Reeds could be used to make products that would generate additional income for the local communities.

Platinum is needed in Hydrogen cars, don’t you know

Consumers can play their part by ensuring that the jewellery they buy has been ethically produced. There is a growing global market for ethical or Fairtrade jewellery, despite the fact that it typically costs more than other jewellery. There are a number of online shops that offer jewellery made with either recycled gold or ethically produced gold. The Association for Responsible Mining (ARM) receives donations from Oxfam and aims to develop a framework for small-scale and artisanal mining to meet the consumer demand for sustainable jewellery. For consumers who want both a beautiful piece of jewellery and peace of mind the Ethical Gold campaign provides more information on the gold used in jewellery.

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