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Rings (c) Toby Pomeroy™
The Alliance for Responsible Mining announces today that Fairmined Ecological Gold from the Mongolian organization XAMODX and five mining organizations in la Llanada, Colombia is now available.
Fairmined Ecological Gold is produced under the same strict standard for responsible mining as regular Fairmined Gold in terms of social, organizational and economic criteria but whereas Fairmined Gold is produced with responsible management and reduction of toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide, miners producing Fairmined Ecological Gold do not use any toxic chemicals at all in the gold processing.
“We are happy to announce that there is now an available supply of Fairmined Ecological Gold. The miners who produce Fairmined Ecological Gold take pride that they do not use toxic chemicals and are an example of how gold mining can be practiced in a way that takes measures to minimize the environmental impact.” Said Kenneth Porter, Head of Fairmined Business Development in the Alliance for Responsible Mining. “There are jewelers that have been requesting specifically for gold that is extracted without any use of mercury or cyanide. Now they can support these miners by sourcing Fairmined Ecological Gold and add value to their jewelry by using the Fairmined Ecological Gold label.”
The mining organizations offering Fairmined Ecological Gold are currently the only artisanal mining organizations in the world with a third-party certified chemical-free gold production. In Mongolia, XAMODX was the first Asian organization to ever obtain Fairmined Certification thanks to the Support of ARM’s ally the Sustainable Artisanal Mining (SAM) Project who has also been a key partner in establishing supply chains from Mongolia. The mines in La Llanada, Colombia, have inspired other miners to follow and five other organizations are now working with ARM towards Fairmined Ecological Certification.
In the US, Argen Jewelry Division has recently been authorized to supply Fairmined Gold and have worked together with Fairmined Licensee Toby Pomeroy and Liberty Refiners to bring a stock of Fairmined Ecological Gold from Mongolia to North America with the support from ARM and the SAM Project.
“We are delighted that the North American market now has access to certified Mongolian Fairmined Ecological gold; gold that is responsibly mined without the use of mercury or other toxic chemicals. It is traceable from mine to customer and contributes to the quality of life for this visionary mining community that has fulfilled the extraordinary commitment to achieve Fairmined Certification.” Said Toby Pomeroy, President and Director at Toby Pomeroy™.
For more information on the differences between Fairmined Gold and Fairmined Ecological Gold please consult ARM’s explanatory document.
Outside North America Fairmined Ecological Gold can be provided upon request. For more information please contact [email protected].
About the Alliance for Responsible Mining
The Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) is a non-profit organization globally recognized as a leader and pioneer of responsible artisanal and small-scale mining. ARM works to transform artisanal and small-scale mining into a socially and environmentally responsible activity that improves the quality of life of artisanal miners, their families and communities.
About Fairmined
Fairmined is a standard and assurance label, developed by ARM, which certifies gold from empowered responsible mining organizations. It is backed by a rigorous third party certification and audit system that ensures that small entrepreneurial mining organizations meet world leading requirements for responsible practices. Fairmined transforms mining into an active force for good, ensuring social development and environmental protection, providing everyone with a source of gold they can be proud of.
Through the Fairmined Standard and ARM’s technical support on the ground, miners are able to produce Fairmined certified metals and gain access to responsible supply chains.
There are currently 10 Fairmined certified mining organizations in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Mongolia and over 100 businesses worldwide that use Fairmined Gold.
For more information about ARM visit: www.responsiblemines.org
For more information on Fairmined visit www.fairmined.org
