Having a jewelry addiction in this day and age is unremarkable.
The social and environmental impacts of metal, diamond, and
gemstone mining, however: now those are issues that could use
more awareness. There are enough already-mined materials
available to satisfy the jewelry industry's demand, and even
your own shopping addition, for at least the next fifty years.
Keep reading to find out how you can buy fair trade,
environmentally sustainable, eco-friendly, conflict-free jewelry
you can wear with a clear conscience. It is estimated that in
the United States each year, gold mining produces one billion
tons of waste rock and one billion tons of milled ore. And it
takes 20 tons of waste rock and toxic tailings to produce 1
ounce of gold. Gold mining also leads to acid mine drainage
(AMD), which is the production of acidic water from sulfide
materials, water, air, and bacteria. When this AMD is released
from active and inactive mines, it travels underground and
pollutes municipal water supplies with poisonous he