Why Choose Fairmined Gold
 

One of the most enjoyable aspects of wearing a hand crafted piece of jewellery is knowing who made it and where. Jewellery made with Fairmined Gold can only add to this connection, its transparent supply chain is traceable right back to an individual mining community. Fairmined guarantees jewellery has been created from start to finish in fairer, safer, happier conditions.

The majority of our jewellery is made from 100% recycled precious metals, but we are also a Fairmined licencee ID GB30046. Any of our design can also be made from Fairmined gold (currently no silver or platinum on the market is certified Fairmined). Fairmined gold does cost a little more than recycled gold, however this article will hopefully convince you of the benefits of Fairmined, and why we are so proud to be able to produce jewellery made from it. 

Who Mines our gold?

90% of the labour force involved in mining gold come from marginalised communities, it is estimated that 100 million people are dependent on the income from small-scale artisinal mining, producing 10% of the total gold mined each year. Conditions are tough, work is labour intensive using only basic machinery, and it can be hazardous to the miners health and the delicate eco systems where gold is found. Often working in remote areas miners have to deal with middle-men to get their product onto the market, struggling to get a fair price.
 

The implications of these working practices can be alarming, however, to stop buying mined minerals would leave the communities who rely on mining for their income in an even more vulnerable situation. It is these communities who can benefit from the Fairmined initiative.

There are currently 9 small scale mining operations who have achieved the Fairmined standard, they are located across three countries, Columbia, Peru and Mongolia. A further 16 mining organisations are working towards achieving the standard.

Choosing a piece of jewellery made with Fairmined Gold guarantees it has been mined responsibly and that the miners have received a guaranteed Minimum Price (if the international gold price increases above this minimum the miners will always receive the higher price) plus a premium. The Fairmined Premium is used by the mining communities to invest in their business and on community projects such as education, clean water or healthcare. Thus giving them control over their futures and protecting the environment in which they live and work.

How Fairmined works –

To become a certified Fairmined producer small scale mining operations must meet stringent Standards regarding health and safety, workers rights and the development of responsible environmental practices. A mining community usually has to work with Fairmined for 18-24 months before they qualify. Once these standards have been met the miners can start to benefit from the Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium.

Having been mined by a Fairmined producer the gold moves through the international supply chain, at all points it is kept separate from other ores. All mines, traders and companies within the Fairmined system, including us, must meet the Fairmined Standards and are independently evaluated by a third party auditor who’s role it is to verify the credibility of the products. You can follow this link to find out more on how Fairmined Standards are set.

The independent auditors also track the gold’s progress through the international market by mapping each stage keeping the supply chain transparent.

Making a difference

It’s very exciting seeing the difference Fairmined can make to workers lives, not only through better working conditions but crucially how they use the Premium to improve their futures. The Fairmined Premium for gold is currently $4 per gram of gold imported and is usually spent on small but life changing actions like improving healthcare or to enabling families to send their children to school.

An example success story is the Sotrami Mining Organisation in the Atacama Desert, Central Peru.

SOTRAMI is the largest mine certified by the ARM (association for responsible mining). 300 miners work in a hard-rock mine on the side of a mountain. Often tunneling to deep levels so that air must be pumped from the surface to ensure miners can work safely.

The mine gained certification in May 2011 a process that took 4 years. During that time the workers made important steps to meet the Fairmined Standards, formalizing operations and investing in infrastructure.

A road was built to help transport a clean safe supply of water something which is still a challenge working in a desert region 2,000m above sea level.

They also established a pre-school for 140 local children, providing access to education and somewhere safe for the kids whilst their parents are working.

Since 2011 the community has used the Fairmined Premium on a variety of initiatives. Such as …
 

Connecting local schools and medical centres to the electricity mains.

A fund has been set up to provide health care to those without insurance.

Investing in a 4x4 ambulance to get to emergencies quickly on the rough terrain.

The Sotrami mine and the local community are flourishing, their hard work benefitting from consumer choices we make.
For more information on Fairmined visit the Fairmined website.