 |
 |
|||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Updated 03/31/2008 The Mining News: News on Mining’s Impacts from Communities and Activists Worldwide
Ethical Metalsmiths Co-Founder Jennifer Horning was a member of the event’s Steering Committee which included representatives from a variety of entities that have shown interest and leadership on these issues. They include: the Association for Responsible Mining (ARM), Communities and Small Scale Mining (CASM), the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices (CRJP), De Beers, Earthworks, Ethical Metalsmiths, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), Jewelers of America (JA), Partnership Africa Canada (PAC), Diamond Development Initiative (DDI), and the Rapaport Group. Statement of Stephen D'Esposito, president of EARTHWORKS, on the passage of HR 2262, the Hardock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 November 1st, Washington, D.C. "Today the U.S. Congress takes an important step towards updating one of the last remaining laws that gives away our public lands and minerals. The House voted 244 to 166 to modernize a law that is long past due for reform – the 1872 Mining Law. Although the law was passed before women could vote and long before the advent of national environmental laws, it still governs mining for precious minerals – such as gold, copper and uranium – on public lands. The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, HR 2262, strives to ensure that mining on public lands takes place in a manner that protects crucial drinking water supplies and other natural resources, special places, taxpayers, fish and wildlife habitat, and the health and well being of our communities. I’d like to thank Chairmen Rahall and Costa for their commitment and leadership on this issue. If this effort to reform the 1872 Mining Law is to succeed, leadership from the mining industry itself and from community and political leaders in western states is needed. Each of these states - from Washington to New Mexico - have been, and continue to be, adversely affected by this antiquated law and its lack of adequate protections for taxpayers and the environment. EARTHWORKS looks forward to working with the mining industry leaders and Western Senators to craft a Senate bill that promotes beneficial environmental practices, balanced public land use policy and a fair return to taxpayers." EARTHWORKS is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the destructive impacts of mineral development, in the U.S. and worldwide. Leading Retailers Pledge Their Gold Jewelry Will Sparkle Responsibly This Valentine's season, 11 jewelry retailers are announcing their support for the No Dirty Gold campaign's Golden Rules criteria for more socially and environmentally responsible mining, bringing the total number of jewelry retailers supporting the Golden Rules up to 19. The list includes 7 of the 10 largest U.S. retailers of jewelry, and represents about 22 percent of the country's total jewelry market. The companies added to the list this year are: Fred Meyer and Littman Jewelers, Ben Bridge Jeweler, Wal-Mart, QVC, Birks & Mayors, Commemorative Brands (parent company of Balfour, ArtCarved, and Keystone class rings brands), Brilliant Earth, Leber Jeweler, TurningPoint, Boscov's and Michaels Jewelers.
Association of Jewelers and Educators Calls on Mining Industry to Produce Gold Ethically At their 2006 annual conference, the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) approved a resolution calling upon the mining industry to produce gold in an ethical way that respects environmental, social, and human rights standards. The resolution states that "the use of irresponsibly mined gold that harms people, communities, or the environment does not reflect our values," and resolves "to support and encourage the use of gold that is independently certified." SNAG is the premier metal arts organization for jewelers, designers, and metalsmiths with 3,300 worldwide members. With This Ethical Ring I Thee Wed Individual consumers, large respected jewelry companies that represent 14% of the $6.3 billion in jewelry sales in the United States, small retailers and alternative groups like Ethical Metalsmiths want a resolution of gold's tangled issues. "It's like the lock has been picked, opening a door that could lead to responsibly sourced gold," said Stephen D'Esposito, the president and executive director of Earthworks. New York Times, April 6, 2006
Craft and Social Conscience Penland School of Crafts has created a special session in which students can combine learning about their craft with investigating ideas that engage the social, cultural, spiritual or personal. Class content will include environmental and ethical concerns, cultural understanding, social service, political commentary, responsible use of materials and personal narratives. Three metals classes will be offered as part of this session, which will take place June 11 to 23, 2006: The Relevance of Adornment with Susie Ganch, Scrapyard 101 with Hoss Haley and Brave New Form with Suzanne Pugh. Contact Penland for information. Beyond Green: Toward a Sustainable Art Sustainable design, which balances environmental, social, economic and aesthetic concerns, has the potential to transform everyday life and is already reshaping the fields of architecture and product design. While green architecture has been widely explored, this is one of the first exhibitions to focus exclusively on sustainability in art and design. It will be at the Museum of Arts & Design, New York, February 2 – May 7, 2006; Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, Massachusetts, February 2 – April 13, 2007; Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, May 5 – July 15, 2007; Richard E. Peeler Art Center, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, September 14 – December 2, 2007. The exhibition originated at the Smart Museum in Chicago. The catalog is available for downloading. New York Times Series: The Cost of Gold 1. Behind Gold's Glitter: Torn Lands and Pointed Questions There has always been an element of madness to gold's allure. New York Times, October 24, 2005 2. Tangled Strands in Fight Over Peru Gold Mine An excursion into the moral ambiguities that often attend when a first-world company does business in a third-world land. New York Times, October 25, 2005 3. Below a Mountain of Wealth, a River of Waste: The Cost of Gold — The Hidden Payroll A far reaching report into an American Mining Company, the world's largest gold reserve and third largest copper mine, billions of tons of mine waste dumped into jungle rivers running through pristine rainforests, millions of dollars of payoffs to military and security forces, and more. New York Times, December 27, 2005 4. Water Worries: A Drier and Tainted Nevada May Be Legacy of a Gold Rush The costs - to Nevada, its neighbors and even to the rest of the country - are only now coming into focus as diminishing ores foreshadow gold mining's eventual demise and a more urbanized West begins to express concerns over water shortages and mining's other legacies. New York Times, December 30, 2005 Editorial: Recklessness in Indonesia Freeport-McMoRan, an American company that operates a giant open- pit copper and gold mine in Papua, is a major contributor to Indonesia's economy. The company is also one of Indonesia's most reckless polluters and a source of hard cash - cash the company concedes is protection money - for the Indonesian military, which has one of the worst human rights records anywhere. New York Times, January 9, 2006 Matthew Runci, Jewelers of America CEO Writes Letter Expressing Strong Opposition to House Bill permitting massive public land giveaway to corporations and private interests for mining and development. The Real Cost of Gold, On Point with Tom Ashbrook, National Public Radio program broadcast October 28, 2005 Independent Experts Publish Framework Society of North American Goldsmiths Independent Experts Publish Framework A set of principles, improved standards and best practices which could lead to more responsible mining of hard rock minerals has been announced. If key elements of the Framework for Responsible Mining were adopted, many of the worst impacts from mining would be eliminated. The framework was developed by the Center for Science in Public Participation (CSP2) and World Wildlife Fund-International (WWF). The Framework responds to the potential environmental, human rights, and social impacts associated with large-scale mining projects. It explores state-of-the-art social and environmental practices and emerging trends. It recommends improvements where those are justified by science and expert analysis. “Human rights, development and environmental NGOs work by shining a spotlight on what is wrong in a sector to create pressure for change,” said Stephen D'Esposito, president of EARTHWORKS. “But they also seek to highlight progress and best practice. The Framework for Responsible Mining is a critical step forward because it provides concrete and detailed guidance that will enable independent, third-parties to assess mining companies’ compliance with best human rights, social and environmental performance,” he added. "As a jeweler committed to meeting our customer expectations that the precious materials used in our jewelry is sourced in a responsible way, we believe the Framework for Responsible Mining can provide critical guidance for not only retailers, but also for miners, jewelry manufacturers, consumers, and communities attempting to better understand the complex issues surrounding responsible sourcing," said Mike Kowalski, Chairman and CEO, Tiffany & Co. For additional information, a copy of the executive summary or the full report, please go to Framework for Responsible Mining: A Guide to Evolving Standards. Society of North American Goldsmiths
More than 400 SNAG members attended the June 23 confrennce panel titled “The Price of Gold,” organized and moderated by Susan Kingsley and Christina Miller. Their introduction included a brief history of gold, an acknowledgement of its importance to the future of the field, and the fact that gold and minerals can be obtained in ways that are socially and environmentally responsible. They emphasized that jewelers are faced with an ethical issue. “If we continue to use gold without acknowledging the social and environmental costs of mining, we are letting the stain of destructive and unethical practices color our work and sully our field. If we were to stop using gold, we might feel absolved, but it would have no effect on mining practices. We would be giving up what we believe in, and changing nothing.” They ended by suggesting ways in which metalsmiths could use their unique position to advocate for reform. Download Kingsley & Miller introduction pdf. Panelists included Payal Sampat, director of the NoDirtyGold campaign, who acknowledged her admiration for gold, respect for the skill of goldsmiths and social values embodied in jewelry. She explained the goals of the campaign, and the unique voice that metalsmiths have to add to the call for mining reform. Download the Payal Sampat transcript pdf. Native American activist Tom Goldtooth, after sharing the story of how he received his unusual name, explained the spiritual relationship that native peoples have with the earth and how mining policies and practices are impacting indigenous communities throughout the world. He urged the audience to join with others in calling for mining industry reform. Download the Tom Goldtooth transcript pdf. Mining expert Glenn Miller admitted that like everyone else, he likes gold, and appreciated the opportunity to speak to metalsmiths. He explained the science involved in choosing where and how to mine, good and bad mining practices, and the importance of proper planning and adequate funds for cleanup. Download Glenn Miller transcript pdf. The panel received strong support from the audience, many of whom expressed particular appreciation for the opportunity to hear experts from different sectors at the conference.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ethical Metalsmiths, Post Office Box 222492,Carmel, CA 93922 mail@ethicalmetalsmiths.org |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
