Say No To Dirty Gold

posted on 27June2011 | posted in Dirty Gold |( 0 ) Comments

Do you Know where your Gold comes from?

A small child is lowered into a tiny hole in the ground, his shoulders scraping along earth walls as his hands grope for the finger holds that have been carved out down the entrance tunnel.

Above ground, children talk of aching joints and sores, while next to them, a mother holds out a shining bauble of mercury, enough to poison the babies around her feet, before she prepares food without washing her hands. Traces of the mercury remain in the palms of her hands and then contaminate the food she prepares.

There is no education here, no sanitation to speak of and little hope of a better life.

Instead, there is dirt, desperation and a dull necessity at the start of a supply chain that reaches all the way to the shopping high streets.

Much of the gold that ends up in Britain's jewellery shops comes from unregulated and often illegal mining camps in Africa and South America.

Thanks to campaigns against 'blood diamonds', consumers can now be sure that precious stones they buy have been sourced ethically.

Children spend all morning in the dark in tight and dangerous spaces chipping away at the ore and in the afternoon they pound it to release tiny grains of gold.

Mercury is then introduced to the grains, which is highly toxic, and mix it with their bare hands.

And as if that isn't bad enough, they then burn off the mercury, releasing the gold along with a cloud of poisonous fumes.

The conditions down the tight dark mines are red hot and extremely dangerous as there is the constant risk of

the mine collapsing as the walls are supported by timber beams put into place by the child labour force.

They mine somewhere between 10 and 30 per cent of the gold that makes it to the high street.

Here at Ceirys Designer Jewellery we advocate the use of " Fair Trade Gold " and " Recycled Gold," also known as " Eco Gold '

In South America there are small mines that are correctly operated to ensure that all workers receive fair wages and work in safe and clean environments. The cost of Fair Trade Gold is slightly higher but for that extra cost you know that treasured item of jewellery that you love so much, has been mined without suffering and neglect to child labour.

A lot of high street consumers are unaware as to exactly where their gold comes from, but with media coverage and raising awareness more recycled gold will be being used in today's gold market places.

The next time you have a damaged gold ring or gold earrings, then recycle your gold and spare a thought for the child that may have spent hours in a small mine shaft 40' under the ground working in horrendous conditions!

Ceirys Silver Jewellery

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Say No To Dirty Gold