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Reducing Conflict Minerals & the Impact of Mining
Gold Mining & the environment
Dirty gold mining has a history of civil war, labor abuses, and environmental devastation.
Open pit gold mine.
Metal mining, and gold mining in particular, is one of the most environmentally destructive types of mining and millions of gold miners earn low wages in dangerous working conditions.
Our objective is to help diminish the negative impacts of dirty gold by reducing the demand for newly mined metals and contributing to programs dedicated to improving mining practices.
Conflict Minerals
Conflict minerals are minerals that are mined and used to influence and finance armed conflict, human rights abuses, and violence.
Conflict minerals are in our phones and electronic devices, as well as jewelry.
The global minerals trade has funded abuses and armed conflict for decades. Minerals that have bankrolled social and environmental harms still end up in our jewelry, mobile phones, laptops and cars.
By recycling precious metals, you are helping to both reduce the carbon footprint of the mining industry and minimize human suffering.
Learn more
Several organizations around the world are working to increase awareness and change policy for these challenging issues. Here are just a few:
Image courtesy of Venkel.com.