Ethics in Jewelry Making // Part 2

Environmental Impact of Precious Metals and Gemstones

The impact that mining of these materials has on the environment should not go overlooked. 

I mentioned in a previous post that in regards to the newer collections of pieces, you wont see much, or any at all, materials that are made of sterling silver or gold. A while back, I was prompted through a book I was reading to question where some of the materials that I was using or was planning on using were coming from. This inquiry led me to read more about the impact of mining gold and silver, along with precious gemstones, can have on the environment. One article that I read that I found particularly helpful in my understanding was one written by Doug Guthrie entitled "The Environmental Impact of Mining Precious Metals and Gemstones: The Case for Putting Jewelry Back into Circulation". The full article can be found here (it isn't too long and is worth the read for anyone interested in more details).

Of the many things discussed, here are some of the things that stood out to me:

• On average, it takes 20 tons of mine waste to produce one ounce of gold.
• In addition to that, the amount of gold that can be found within ore (the rock that bears the gold) is decreasing, meaning that it now takes more mining and waste to produce the amount of gold it did in the past.
• Chemicals are required to process and refine the precious metals, and these chemicals, including mercury and cyanide to name a few, can then leech into the environment, causing contamination.
• Many of these mines exist in sensitive ecosystems. Although some mining companies have the intent of restoring the land after they are done mining in that area, it usually is ineffective and the land is forever marred. 

These are just a few of the many reasons that I do not use precious metals or gemstones in the pieces I create. The good news is that there are those in the jewelry industry that are recognizing this problem as well, and are using recycled gold, silver, and gemstones to make their work. I will in fact soon be designing a small collection that incorporates 100% sterling silver wire. I am really looking forward to sharing it with you.