WHAT MAKES AN ETHICALLY-SOURCED GEMSTONE?

"Ethical" is such a vague term, and can be used by anyone to mean a number of things. Because there is no standard certification process for what makes a stone ethical, We have outlined our own criteria of what we mean by “ethically-sourced crystals”. We believe that for a crystal to be ethically-sourced, it must satisfy the following criteria:

  • All workers involved in processes the stones must be paid a fair, living wage. This includes all workers involved in every stage of the supply chain.

  • The working conditions must be safe for all the workers at all stages of the supply chain. This also means no children or underage workers are involved at any stage.

  • People were not forcibly displaced off land due to mining activities.

  • The stones should be conflict-free, which means it doesn't fund or fuel wars and violence.

  • There should be little to no negative environmental impact.

How do we make sure that the crystals we sell are not tainted by environmental and human rights abuses?

We ask all the questions

Whenever we purchase from a supplier, we ask the necessary questions to ensure that the crystals we are buying meet our “ethically-sourced” criteria. Where does this come from? Who mines this? What are the conditions of the mine? How is it processed? 

We buy directly from small scale miners

After much searching, we are so happy and thankful to be able to source all our crystals directly from small-scale miners. They do not get their stones from the traditional mining industry, but instead dig them at small sites that are fairly low-impact. These miners do not only mine the stones themselves, but they also process them as well. As mentioned before, this is important because even if a stone is mined ethically, the processing stage is often outsourced elsewhere, where unsafe labor conditions and human rights violations occur at this stage.

What can you do?

  • Educate yourself.

  • Spread the word.

  • Ask questions. Where does this come from? Who mined this? Who processed this?

  • Only shop from reputable brands that can tell you exactly where their crystals are coming from.

There are no simple solutions, but in order to tackle these issues we need to be aware of how our role as consumers impact the lives of people across the globe.

As the multi-billion dollar gemstone industry continues to grow, we need to put a stop to the violence. We all need to start asking how these gems are extracted from the earth, and demand that these processes do not harm people or the environment. We need to make sure the marginalized communities impacted also do not lose their livelihood. Of course, the situation is complex, tied to systems of oppression that go beyond the scope of the gemstone industry. Much of what we use on a regular basis is somehow tainted with human rights abuses. Protecting the people who are directly affected by the injustices of the mining industry requires both regulation and dismantling the oppressive structures in place. Systemic change is necessary. There are no simple solutions, but in order to tackle these issues we need to be aware of how our role as consumers impact the lives of people across the globe.

References

Atkin, E. (2018, May 11). Do You Know Where Your Healing Crystals Come From? Retrieved from https://newrepublic.com/article/148190/know-healing-crystals-come-from

Earthworks. (n.d.). Copper Sulfide Mining. Retrieved February 4, 2020, from https://earthworks.org/issues/copper_sulfide_mining/

Elliot, J. K. (2018, November 4). 'Genocide gems': Highly-sought Burmese rubies and sapphires may be enriching Myanmar's military. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/4571806/burmese-ruby-genocide-gem-myanmar/

McClure, T. (2019, September 17). Dark crystals: the brutal reality behind a booming wellness craze. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/sep/17/healing-crystals-wellness-mining-madagascar

Overdorf, J. (2013, March 21). How the shiny "agate" stones in jewelry and rosary beads are killing workers. Retrieved from https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-03-21/how-shiny-agate-stones-jewelry-and-rosary-beads-are-killing-workers

Rhode, D. (2014, March 24). The Kimberley Process is a 'perfect cover story' for blood diamonds. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/diamonds-blood-kimberley-process-mines-ethical

Willow, F. (2018, August 29). Are Your Gems Funding Genocide? Here's How To Buy An Ethical Engagement Ring Instead. Retrieved from https://ethicalunicorn.com/2018/05/15/are-your-gems-funding-genocide-heres-how-to-buy-an-ethical-engagement-ring-instead/

Winter, L. (2019, July 27). Drop your jade roller! There's a hurtful side to healing crystals that you NEED to know about. Retrieved from https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/crystal-industry-dark-side

Wiseman, E. (2019, June 16). Are crystals the new blood diamonds? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/jun/16/are-crystals-the-new-blood-diamonds-the-truth-about-muky-business-of-healing-stones