Tamara Harbar
Going Green
Gold may be an emblem of pure love in engagement or wedding rings, but that loving feeling is missing from the way gold is mined. This precious metal dazzles us with its sparkle and shine, making it hard to see its dark side.
On the shiny side, gold mining creates jobs, boosts the economy, and provides materials for numerous industries. Gold is used in electronics, such as computers, flat screen TVs and mobile phones; it even has medical uses. Banks, governments and other investors go for gold as reserve assets. But most gold – two-thirds or more of the world’s gold supply, according to the World Gold Council – goes towards feeding the demand for jewelry.
Then there’s the not-so-shiny side. Gold lust breeds conflicts over land rights and displaces people from their homes and traditional territories. Workers are often exposed to health risks and human rights abuses. Gold mining also funds wars, like the one in the Congo, as featured on CBS’s 60 Minutes a few months ago.
Producing just one gold ring generates 20 tonnes of waste, including well-known poisons cyanide and mercury (from gold ore extraction), and lead and nitrous oxide (from the smelting process). Back in 2000, Romania’s Baia Mare Aurul gold mine spilled 3.5 million cubic feet of toxic waste – including cyanide and heavy metals – into the Tisza River, a tributary of the Danube.
At the time, Serbia’s environment minister reported not even bacteria survived the contamination, let alone fish, birds and other exposed wildlife and domestic animals.
Only last month, the government of Ghana asked for almost $5 million to compensate for water contamination and fish kills resulting from a 2009 cyanide spill at US-based Newmont Mining company’s Ahafo mine.
Meanwhile, reclamation of abandoned open pits often consists of little more than lip service.
But gold’s tarnished history has sparked interest in an above-ground treasure trove of this valuable resource, specifically reclaimed gold.
The World Gold Council’s website says if a fine gold wire made from all the gold ever produced could be stretched around the Earth, it would circle the planet about 7.2 million times. Maybe that’s why greenkarat.com claims “… there is enough gold above ground (already mined) to satisfy all demands of the jewelry industry for the next 50 years.”
Recycled gold jewelry already supplies one-quarter of the world’s jewelry demands, while one-fifth of total gold demand is met through gold recycled from old jewelry, gold bars, coins and industrial gold.
“Urban mining” – aka dump scavenging – is literally a potential gold mine. A Japanese company, Yokohama Metal, has estimated that a ton of discarded cell phones holds 150 grams of gold, as well as generous amounts of copper and silver. Now there’s motivation to recycle.
When special times arrive, like Valentine’s Day, an engagement or wedding, panning for gold with a greener hue can help bring that loving feeling back to our home planet. Here’s how:
• Buy from retailers who are pledging to support more responsible mining practices, thanks to the international campaign, “No Dirty Gold,” and its Golden Rules. For a list of retailers, see www.nodirtygold.org/supporting_retailers.cfm.
• Check jewelry boxes for neglected gold to clean, repair, re-set or recycle into new pieces.
• Look into vintage jewelry options.
Visit www.greenkarat.com, www.brilliantearth.com and www.danforthdiamond.com/recycled-metals for eco-friendly and recycled precious metals and gemstones.
