What is ethical gold ?

The famous golden metal has always been a dream, but it is undoubtedly because many of us are unaware of the impact of its extraction.

The environment damaged by extraction

Gold does not grow on trees: you have to dig very deep to find beautiful nuggets, which initially involves potentially destroying natural sites, or even expropriating populations. But that's not all, because the gold must then be extracted from the rock or from the waterways and the techniques used are an environmental disaster. It requires a very large quantity of water, energy-intensive machines and very often toxic substances (e.g. : cyanide, sulfur dioxide and mercury) to arrive at the finished product which will be resold. And we must not believe that only large groups participate in pollution. In artisanal mines and for gold panning, products harmful to the environment are also used and released into nature.

Financial windfall to the detriment of workers and populations

Many extractors have little regard for sustainable development and the little hands who work in the mines. Without protection from chemicals and the risk of mine collapse, under blazing heat, with indecent hours and wages, workers from developing countries are exploited daily. Not to mention child labor, respect for human rights and corruption.

One of the solutions to reduce the environmental impact of gold mining would simply be to no longer extract it. This would indeed be a possibility, but it would not cover global demand. On the other hand, recycling gold is a really good option. It’s a way of revaluing jewelry or other gold objects that were lying dormant in cupboards or that could no longer fulfill their function. 

And of course, recycling gold involves much fewer environmental consequences: we use fewer resources than to extract it, we do not produce mining waste and we do not endanger the sites natural. Recycled gold is all the more ethical when it is made in France, since the carbon footprint is nothing comparable to gold sent from Africa, America or Asia. 

Of course, it does take chemicals to recycle earrings, engagement rings or even old coins, but recycled gold undoubtedly remains more durable than gold. gold coming directly from mining operations.

With recycled gold made in France, we know that the working conditions are dignified and that the environmental impact is reduced. But what about the workers who continue to toil in mining operations to find gold and precious stones ? Can they work in more ethical conditions ?

This is the objective of several labels, the best known of which is the Fairminded label. It is structured around 4 main themes to certify ethical gold:

• organizational development, around the legal context of mining and guaranteed minimum prices;
• environmental protection, aimed at reducing the consumption of chemicals, preserving water resources, etc. ;
• working conditions, so that workers have stable jobs and work in a safe and healthy environment;
• social development, excluding child labor, imposing non-discrimination, participation in the development of local communities, etc.

A gold labeled Fairminded thus provides certain guarantees for workers, their health and the environment around them. Commitment to the environment can also be rewarded with the Fairminded Ecological Gold label, prohibiting any use of mercury and cyanide, which pollute rivers and soil during extraction.

While these certifications can still be improved, they are currently the best way to guide consumers towards ethical gold and encourage manufacturers to review their practices. 

Becoming aware of the impact of gold extraction, whether in artisanal or industrial mines, is a first step towards more responsible consumption. But how to act concretely ?

The consumer has power: if you turn to ethical jewelry and to recycled gold ingots, you participate on your own scale in a gold industry that is less harmful to the environment and which does not call into question human rights.

Many brands, including French ones, today offer vast collections of ethical jewelry (e.g. : Paulette à Bicyclette, Flore & Zéphyr, Breidal, etc.)
And when it comes to bars and gold bars, you can count on Gold Union for ethical gold purchases. SAAMP certification, for example, assures you that it is French, recycled and traceable gold.

Sell gold you no longer use

To avoid the extraction of raw materials and promote the recycling of gold, you can also act by reselling your gold. Broken earrings ? Dental gold ? Bracelet that has become too small ? All these types of objects can have a second life and be transformed into ethical gold, to make new jewelry for example. 

So why not resell your gold, online or in a Gold Union store ? In addition to participating in sustainable development, you clear your drawers of useless objects and you earn money. Everyone is a winner!